CISc 240 - Operating System
Semester I - Fall 2010

Tuesday & Thursday -- 10:00 am to 11:50 am
Room 1254

Syllabus Contents
	Course Overview
	Course Objectives
	HU Core Competencies
	Required and Suggested Texts
	Statement on Academic Integrity
	Grading
	Problems Arise
	Tutoring - Problem Sessions (Office Hours)
	Project and Exam Descriptions
	Course Conduct
	Class Schedule
	Class Assignments

The objective of this course is to introduce the student to the principles underlying the design and implementation of contemporary computer operating systems.  CISc 240 is designed for students majoring in Computer Information Sciences or in areas having a strong emphasis in Computer Information Science.

The class will explore the above topics through in-class presentations/exercises, discussions, readings (from both text and on-line sources), exercises (both individual and group-based), and a variety of graded assignments and tests.  As part of this course we
will explore the major organizations, government institutions and private sector industries and educational programs connected with our major topics.

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At the conclusion of this course, students should be able to:


• Understand the design and implement of a contemporary operating system.

• Perform a detailed analysis of process control, multithreading, symmetric multiprocessing, and micro-kernels.

• Describe memory management techniques, including virtual memory.

• Understand the various approaches to process scheduling.

• Describe how operating system control Input/Output.

• Define file management systems.

• Understand the difference between a distributed operating system and stand alone OS.

• Setup computer security.

Note to students with disabilities:  It is Harrisburg University's policy not to discriminate against qualified students with documented disabilities.  It is also your instructor's policy to try and help students learn by whatever reasonable means necessary.  If you have a disability related need that requires a modification in your testing situation, please notify your instructor a week before the first test or quiz so that your need can be accommodated. You may be asked to present documentation that describes the nature of your disability and the recommended remedy.

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At the conclusion of this course a student will have met the following core competencies that reflect HU's mission:

• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving skills are demonstrated by the student’s ability to:
  ―  Identify and clarify the problem,
  ―  Gather information,
  ―  Evaluate the evidence,
  ―  Consider alternative solutions,
  ―  Choose and implement the best alternative.  
  
• Communication - The core communication skills are demonstrated by the student’s ability to:
  ―  Express ideas and facts to others effectively in a variety of formats, particularly written, oral, and visual formats,
  ―  Communicate effectively by making use of information resources and technology.
  
• Teamwork and Collaboration - The students will be working with others to increase involvement in learning and by sharing one's own ideas and responding to others' reactions to sharpen thinking and deepen understanding.
  
• Information Technology - The students will be making effective use of the .NET information resources and technology.
  

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• McHoes, A. M. and Flynn, I. M., Understanding Operating Systems, 5^th Edition, ISBN-10 1-4239-0160-6, Thomson, Course Technology, 2008.

• References:
  ―  Gorman, M. S. and Stubbs, S. T., Introduction to Operating Systems, Comprehensive Course Edition,
        ISBN-10 0-619-05530-8, Thomson, Course Technology, 2004.
  ―  Silberschatz, A., Galvin, P. B., and Gagne, G., Operating System Concepts, ISBN 0-471-69466-5,
        John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2005.
  ―  (P) Papers and online references will be made available to supplement the text.

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According to the University's Student Handbook: Academic integrity is the pursuit of scholarly activity free from fraud and deception, and is the educational objective of this institution. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, fabrication of information or citations, facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others, unauthorized possession of examinations, submitting work of another person, or work previously used without informing the instructor, or tampering with the academic work of other students. Any violation of academic integrity will be thoroughly investigated, and where warranted, punitive action will be taken.

Students should be aware that standards for documentation and intellectual contribution may depend on the course content and method of teaching, and should consult the instructor for guidance in this area.

Honor Code - We as members of Harrisburg University community pledge not to cheat, plagiarize, steal, or lie in maters related to academic work.  As a Community of Learners, we honor and uphold the HU Honor Code.

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Your grade is based on 500 possible points. You earn points with each assignment, exam, lab, and quiz as shown below.

A: 465 to 500;   A-: 450 to 464;   B+: 435 to 449;   B: 415 to 434;   B-: 400 to 414;  C+: 385 to 399;
     C: 365 to 384;   C-: 350 to 364;   D: 300 to 349;   F: 0 to 299.

Research has demonstrated that class attendance is a significant factor in student success.  Considerable material will be covered during each class session and there will also be discussion of assignments with handouts distributed.  Therefore, class attendance will be calculated into your participation grades. If a student must miss a class, it is his/her responsibility to get the notes and assignments and any handouts, etc. from a classmate preferably prior to the next class period.

PROJECTS AND EXAMS
Activity	Weight	Due Date
Assignments  (Aggregated)	200 Points	All Semester
Quizzes (Aggregated)	100 Points	All Semester
MidTerm Examination	100 Points	14-Oct-10
Final Examination	100 Points	14-Dec-10


You earn your grade but it will be assigned by me. The criteria for each assignment will be discussed in detail, as well as the grading scheme. Each written assignment will be evaluated on how well it addresses the questions posed, the clarity of thinking, the organization and presentation of the material, the quality of writing, and its timeliness.

I urge all students to develop a web-based e-portfolio of their work and to keep copies of excellent assignments there as evidence of the quality of work that they are capable of producing.

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Problems happen to people when they are least expected.  If any problems arise that you expect could impact your work in CISc 240 -- PLEASE CONTACT ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!  I want to see every student succeed -- but I can only help if I know as soon as possible!

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A few rules will help us to get the most of our investment in CISc 240:


• Classes will start on time and end as scheduled.  Please take your seat prior to the start of class.
  
• You will attend each class and actively participate in the discussions during class.  If you are uncomfortable with public speaking, or if English is not your native language, please talk to the instructor in the first two weeks of the course to establish ways to make you more comfortable in speaking and interacting with other students (your peers).
  
• For every hour of class time, I anticipate that you will need to budget about 3 hours of out-of-class time.  This implies that you need to budget about 120 hours of out-of-class time over the course of the semester.  This time estimate is a guide and you may need to budget more.  For example, if the material is new to you or difficult to comprehend, it will require more of your time.
  
• You are responsible for all the readings, even if the material is not explicitly covered in class.  You should read the class materials prior to class and be prepared to discuss and ask questions about the readings and assignments.  You should also re-read the material after class as not every topic will be covered during class time.  Many passages in the text may need to be read several times to gain clarity.  Also, taking notes on the material you are reading and reflecting on the reading and these notes will help you better understand the issues, concepts and techniques that are being presented.
  
• All work must be completed and turned in on or before the assigned date.  No late work will be accepted.  Late means after the class has begun.  Note that a computer's failure is not an excuse (it represents poor planning on your part).
  
• All work must be done using a word processor.  Carefully proofread your work since mistakes which include spelling errors, grammatical errors, and typos will affect your grade.
  
• Your work should be properly referenced and adhere to standards of both academic integrity and proper form.  Generally, I prefer the APA style (see http://www.apa.org/).
  
• All class credit-related electronic mail must be done using Harrisburg's electronic mail service and the student's assigned Harrisburg University ID.  Students are welcome to use Yahoo mail, Hotmail or any other service for their private non-class-related use.  By 'credit-related' I mean all work to be evaluated for credit.  Any work submitted through a different mail system will not be accepted.
  

  NOTE:  If you use a friend's computer - be sure to change the identity information so that the work comes through YOUR account!  Work will not be accepted if it does not come from the student's Harrisburg University account.

• When individual work is assigned it should be done by you, alone.
  
• Students who participate in University-sanctioned events (such as athletics) must make prior arrangements and give the instructor ample notice.  Missing class for practice is not advised.

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This list represents the initial plan for CISc 240.  Please note that it is merely a *plan*.  Actual dates may change due to weather, illness or other unforeseen problems.  Please use this as a guide as changes will be announced in class and posted on the course's Moodle Web page as required.

Plan last updated: 31-August-10

Note in the 'readings' section, these are when the related material should have been read.  I will not use class lectures to cover everything contained in the text or other readings.  Please let me know if you do not understand something that is covered in the text or in any other required reading!