CS 4760 -- Operating Systems

• File Systems
  Lecture notes in PDF (Last modified on: )

• I/O Management
  Lecture notes in PDF (Last modified on: )

/etc/policy

I'll expect you to be present in most of the classes. I will not be taking attendance but if you start missing too many classes, please take responsibility for your absence, specially when it concerns tests and homeworks. When you come to class, you must change your cell phones to silent mode. In the tests, the cell phones must be completely switched off. If you are more than ten minutes late, please try to not disrupt the class. I'll penalize you by one letter grade for habitually coming late to class (more than five times I notice you coming late).

The grade will be based on programming assignments and three tests. Each assignment must be meticulously documented and clearly identify its purpose, author, and date. I will like to read your submitted code; I should not have to figure it out. When you come to me for help with the code, or when you submit the code, make sure that you follow good indentation practices. All tests will be open book and open notes but no electronic devices will be permitted. Tests are non-comprehensive but may have a small overlap of material from one test to next. If you miss any test or assignment without making prior arrangements, you will have a zero. I will not give any make up tests. The distribution of grades will be as follows:

/etc/exam_dates

There is no final exam. In case of class cancellation due to weather-related or other campus emergency, the test will be held in the following class period. For the third test, if the campus is closed on May 03, the alternative date will be the May 04, 2012, possibly in the conference room in the department.

/etc/misc

• Failure to hand in any assignment will result in an automatic zero for that assignment. If some student is unable to hand in an assignment by the deadline, he/she must discuss it with me before the deadline. I'll encourage you to talk to other students regarding homework but you should not collaborate to the extent that two submissions are copies of each other. If you are found copying an assignment (from another student or internet), or if your submission has unreasonable similarity to another submission, you get a zero for that assignment automatically. A second offense will be reported to the University officials and students involved will face serious consequences. I may ask you to come to my office and explain your code to me; in case you are not able to explain the code to my satisfaction, I'll assign you a zero in that project.

• The projects in this class will take up a lot of your time. So, you should start working on those as soon as they are assigned. In the past, the students who have asked a lot of questions have scored better grades. Do not hesitate to ask a question in class, in my office, or over email, especially if you do not have an idea on how to start working on the project.

• If you have any disability that requires an accommodation (as per UMSL policy), you must notify me in advance. If you cannot attend the class due to a religious holiday or a university-sanctioned event, please let me know in advance as well. In case you are down with the flu, especially H1N1, please stay absent from the class till you recover, and contact me via phone or email. I'll try my best to make accommodation for you in that case.

• You will have an account on the Unix machine hoare.cs.umsl.edu in the CS department and you should use it for all assignments. The projects involving OSP will have to be done on hoare.cs.umsl.edu. All programs must be done in C. Please use the class email list on MyGateway for communications. Any unsigned email and email not in plain text will go unanswered by me. Please do not send me any attachments without talking to me first.

• Anyone desiring an EXC grade after March 31, 2012 must be passing the course at that point to get EXC.

• Old tests

• Example code

OS-related links

• FAQs on Unix
• Plan 9 Operating System
• Operating Systems Concepts Home Page
• Interesting quotations