Syllabus for CS 302
Operating Systems
Spring, 2002

Professor Roger Kraft
Office: Classroom Office Building, Room 368
Office phone: 989-2696
Office hours: 1:00--2:00 MTWR, and by appointment.
E-mail: roger@calumet.purdue.edu

Texts: Operating Systems: A Modern Perspective, 2nd Edition Lab Updateby G. Nutt, Addison-Wesley, 2002.
Operating Systems Projects Using Windows NT, by G. Nutt, Addison-Wesley, 1999.

This course is an introduction to computer operating systems. We want to learn what operating systems are, why we need them, how they are designed, how to work with them, and how to program them. We will cover the general theory of modern operating systems, we will study several examples of currently popular operating systems, and we will write "systems level" programs that interface with the Microsoft Windows 2000 operating system.

The goal of this course is to cover Chapters 1 through 14 of the textbook. Your grade for this course will be based on 8 homework assignments and two exams in the following manner: 

           40%    programming assignments,
           30%    midterm exam,
           30%    Final Exam.
Tentative dates for the two exams are 
           Exam 1   Wednesday, March 6
           Final    Final exam week.
Each of the programming assignments will have a due date. To receive full credit for an assignment, it must be turned in by the due date. All programs handed in late will be marked off 10% of the total points for each calendar day late up to a maximum of 50%. If an assignment is more than two weeks late, then it will not be accepted. When you complete a programming assignment you will e-mail me the source code for your solution. In this course web site there are detailed instructions on how you are to turn in your assignments. You will be expected to follow the instructions. Also in this web site is information on the criteria used to grade your programming assignments.

You should turn in your own work for each programming assignment. Here is what that means: You may talk with your classmates about the course material and the ideas behind each homework assignment (and, in fact, it is a very good idea to do that) but you should solve the problem on your own and write your own code for the solution. Turning in someone else's solution (or even a modified version of someone else's solution) is a breach of academic integrity. Similarly, giving a copy of your solution to someone else in the class is also a breach of academic integrity. If you need help with a homework assignment, come and ask me. You can ask me as many questions as you want! Please do not hesitate to ask me questions after class, in my office, in an e-mail message, over the phone, etc.

In this web site you will find more information about this course. There are links to online help and documentation for C, information about course reading assignments, and, very importantly, all of your homework assignments and their due dates will be posted on one of the web pages.

The computer programs that you need to do all of your programming assignments are on computers in the Mathematics Computer Labs in CLO 363 and CLO 365. If you wish to work at home, I will show you in class how to install and use a very simple, yet very useful, C development environment built around a text editor (or you can use the Microsoft Visual C++ developement environment). There is more information about this in these web pages.

In compliance with the American With Disabilities Act (ADA), all qualified students enrolled in this course are entitled to "reasonable accommodations." It is the student's responsibility to inform me of any special needs before the end of the second week of classes.

Ethics are an integral part of being a student and a professional. Academic integrity is the hallmark of this University. Therefore, Purdue University does not tolerate academic dishonesty in any form. If a student breaches integrity, the student risks sanctions in both the academic and conduct arenas. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, the unauthorized use of other's intellectual property (plagiarism), and lying to an instructor or any University employee. Such actions will result in a failing grade on the assignment with the strong possibility of referral to the Office of the Dean of Students for a conduct sanction (see Purdue University's student handbook).


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