ClassInfo

CSC 373 Computer Systems I

Wilfredo Marrero

Office: CDM 737
Fall 2010-2011
Class number: 14876
Section number: 410
-
Online Campus

Summary

This course covers the concepts underlying all computer systems and how they affect the correctness, performance, and utility of application programming. We will cover, in particular, information representations, assembly language and debuggers, memory hierarchy, virtual memory, basic system-level I/O, networking and network programming



Texts

Computer Systems: A Programmer's Perspective, 2nd Edition. Bryant & O'Hallaron, Prentice Hall/Pearson, 2011. ISBN: 978-0136108047

Systems Programming with C and Unix. Hoover, Addison-Wesley/Pearson, 2009. ISBN: 978-0136067122

 



Grading

Lab Projects 60%
Midterm Exam 20%
Final Exam 20%

Overall grades will be assigned as follows:

93-100 A
90-92 A-
87-89 B+
83-36 B
80-82 B-
77-79 C+
73-76 C
70-72 C-
67-69 D+
60-66 D
0 - 59 F


Prerequisites

You must have successfully completed the introductory programming sequence in either C++ or Java. This means you have a passing grade in CSC212 or CSC224 or CSC 309 or CSC261.  The catalog lists CSC241 as a possiblity, but you should seriously consider dropping this class until after you finish Java or C++.  We will be writing and using C code which is very similar to Java and C++. We will cover necessary C topics as we need them, but I will assume that you already:

  • know how to create, compile, and execute a Java or C++ program
  • know how to debug a program using a debugger
  • understand the difference between primitive types and reference or structured types
  • understand basic programming structures (branching, loops, functions, etc.)

Your knowledge of these topics in Java or C++ will easily transfer to C and will be critical to your success in this class.



Labs

The heart of this course are the three labs that students will be doing.  Each of these labs require a significant amount of time and work to complete.  Students are urged to start early.  Each lab has multiple pieces and is automatically graded so you can check your progress so far.  Note that late submissions will not be accepted.  Whatever grade the server reports at the submission deadline will be your grade for the lab.



Exams

The midterm exam will take place during week 6, on October 19 during the regular class time.  Students in the online section may take the midterm exam on either October 19 or October 20.

The final exam will take place on November 23 in the usual room at the usual time.  Students in the online section may take the final exam on either November 23 or November 24.  Note that this is just a day or two before Thanksgiving!  If you cannot take the final exam on that day, change sections now!  A make up exam is not possible.



School policies:

Changes to Syllabus

This syllabus is subject to change as necessary during the quarter. If a change occurs, it will be thoroughly addressed during class, posted under Announcements in D2L and sent via email.

Online Course Evaluations

Evaluations are a way for students to provide valuable feedback regarding their instructor and the course. Detailed feedback will enable the instructor to continuously tailor teaching methods and course content to meet the learning goals of the course and the academic needs of the students. They are a requirement of the course and are key to continue to provide you with the highest quality of teaching. The evaluations are anonymous; the instructor and administration do not track who entered what responses. A program is used to check if the student completed the evaluations, but the evaluation is completely separate from the student’s identity. Since 100% participation is our goal, students are sent periodic reminders over three weeks. Students do not receive reminders once they complete the evaluation. Students complete the evaluation online in CampusConnect.

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism

This course will be subject to the university's academic integrity policy. More information can be found at http://academicintegrity.depaul.edu/ If you have any questions be sure to consult with your professor.

All students are expected to abide by the University's Academic Integrity Policy which prohibits cheating and other misconduct in student coursework. Publicly sharing or posting online any prior or current materials from this course (including exam questions or answers), is considered to be providing unauthorized assistance prohibited by the policy. Both students who share/post and students who access or use such materials are considered to be cheating under the Policy and will be subject to sanctions for violations of Academic Integrity.

Academic Policies

All students are required to manage their class schedules each term in accordance with the deadlines for enrolling and withdrawing as indicated in the University Academic Calendar. Information on enrollment, withdrawal, grading and incompletes can be found at http://www.cdm.depaul.edu/Current%20Students/Pages/PoliciesandProcedures.aspx.

Students with Disabilities

Students who feel they may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the instructor privately to discuss their specific needs. All discussions will remain confidential.
To ensure that you receive the most appropriate accommodation based on your needs, contact the instructor as early as possible in the quarter (preferably within the first week of class), and make sure that you have contacted the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) at:
Lewis Center 1420, 25 East Jackson Blvd.
Phone number: (312)362-8002
Fax: (312)362-6544
TTY: (773)325.7296