Computer Systems CS 3650
"No more magic" -- Your Instructor
Schedule/Road Map
- To get all of the assignments/activities for the course, you must first click the following link: CS 3650 Monorepo Do not do a 'git pull' until class starts (Occasionally I make changes/spelling corrections)
| Week |
Date |
Lecture and Readings | Assignments | Note(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wed/Thur, Sept. 5/6, 2018 | Lecture 1 - An Overview of Computer Systems | ||
| 2 | Monday, Sept. 10, 2018 | Lab 1 - Terminal Overview | ||
| Wed/Thur, Sept. 12/13, 2018 | Lecture 2 - The C Programming Language | |||
| 3 | Monday, Sept. 17, 2018 | Lab 2 - C Data Structures | ||
| Wed/Thur, Sept. 19/20, 2018 | Lecture 3 - Assembly and Machine Representation | |||
| 4 | Monday, Sept. 24, 2018 | Lab 3 - Assembly | ||
| Wed/Thur, Sept. 26/27, 2018 | Lecture 4 - Compilers and Linkers | |||
| 5 | Monday, Oct. 1, 2018 | Lab 4 - Code Generation | ||
| Wed/Thur, Oct. 3/4, 2018 | Lecture 5 - Processor | |||
| 6 | Monday, Oct. 8, 2018 | |||
| Wed/Thur, Oct. 10/11, 2018 | Lecture 6 - The Memory Hierarchy | |||
| 7 | Monday, Oct. 15, 2018 | Lab 5 - Processes and Cache Simulator | ||
| Wed/Thur, Oct. 17/18, 2018 | Lecture 7 - Virtual Memory and Dynamic Memory Allocation | |||
| 8 | Monday, Oct. 22, 2018 | Lab 6 - Allocators | ||
| Wed/Thur, Oct. 24/25, 2018 | Lecture 8 - Concurrency | |||
| 9 | Monday, Oct. 29, 2018 | Lab 7 - Multiprocessing | ||
| Wed/Thur, Oct. 31/Nov. 1, 2018 | Lecture 9 - Optimizations and Parallelism with SIMD | |||
| 10 | Monday, Nov. 5, 2018 | Lab 8 - AVX | ||
| Wed/Thur, Nov. 7/8, 2018 | Lecture 10 - OpenMP/GPUs | |||
| 11 | Monday, Nov. 12, 2018 | |||
| Wed/Thur, Nov. 14/15, 2018 | Lecture 11 - Operating Systems and xv6 and Schedulers | |||
| 12 | Monday, Nov. 19, 2018 | Lab 9 - Parallel Programming | ||
| Wed/Thur, Nov. 21/22, 2018 | ||||
| 13 | Monday, Nov. 26, 2018 | Lab 10 - xv6 | ||
| Wed/Thur, Nov. 28/29, 2018 | Quiz | |||
| 14 | Monday, Dec. 3, 2018 | Lecture 12 Final Class - Course WrapUp/Class photos | ||
| Wed/Thur, Dec. 5/6, 2018 | No Class -- will be in office -- |
Course Information
- Course Number: CS 3650
- Semester: Fall 2018
- Piazza: Forum Board (For both sections)
- Section 1: Computer Systems - 13380 - CS 3650
- Schedule: MR 11:45am-1:25pm
- Location: International Village 19
- Section 2: Computer Systems - 13957 - CS 3650
- Schedule: MW 2:50pm-4:30pm
- Location: Shillman Hall 320
Instructor
- Instructor: Mike Shah
- E-mail: mikeshah( a t )Northeastern
- (Read How to send an e-mail)
- Office: Nightingale 132A
- Office Hours: Thur 2-5pm or by Appointment arranged by e-mail.
- Note that Nat Tuck and Alden Jackson are running other sections which may be structured slightly differently.
| Teaching Assitant(s) |
E-mail |
Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching Assistants from other sections | are also available. See other instructors course pages | for their hours. |
| Bagus (CCIS Lab near right side) | trihatmaja.a(a t) husky.neu.edu |
|
| Nakul (WVH near room 370) | vankadariramesh.n(a t) husky.neu.edu |
|
| Durwasa (WVH main lab) | chakraborty.d(a t) husky.neu.edu |
|
| Akash (WVH near room 370) | parikh.ak(a t) husky.neu.edu |
|
Course Description
In short, we will be diving into many low level components of computer systems to think like a systems programmer. This course is very applied, meaning we will be writing code.
Registrar Description: Introduces the basic design of computing systems, computer operating systems, and assembly language using a RISC architecture. Describes caches and virtual memory. Covers the interface between assembly language and high-level languages, including call frames and pointers. Covers the use of system calls and systems programming to show the interaction with the operating system. Covers the basic structures of an operating system, including application interfaces, processes, threads, synchronization, interprocess communication, deadlock, memory management, file systems, and input/output control.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, you will be ready to:
- Have a working knowledge of C/C++.
- Be comfortable working in the terminal in a Unix environment.
- Build and use tools for inspecting and debugging programs at a low level.
- Be comfortable with concepts like concurrency and parallelism
- Better understand operating systems
- Get some experience working on a large scale codebase.
- Position yourself for jobs as a systems programmer
Resources
There will be no required textbook for this course. However, these resources are recommended.
- (free) Operating Systems: Three Easy Pieces
- (Recommended)Computer Systems A Programmer's Perspective (3rd Edition)
- Low Level Programming
- (free) xv6 Text Revision 10
- (for fun) Code (Best appreciated after this course)
Prerequisites
- CS 1500, CS 2510, or EECE 2560.
- You should be comfortable using a text editor of your choice
- You should be willing to work with others, share your thoughts, and ask questions
- You should have basic knowledge in github, using any text-based editor, and how to compile, run, and debug programs.
Academic Integrity and Non-Discrimination
Students and instructors are to follow the Northeastern policies on these important issues.
- Northeastern Non-Discrimination Policy - This classroom is a safe space for the instructor and students to talk about ideas, share viewpoints, and learn.
- Northeastern Academic Integrity Policy - You only cheat yourself if you are not honest. Most often cheating occurs when an individual falls behind or perhaps has other circumstances occurring in their life. Please consult the instructor before ever considering cheating.
- If you are caught cheating I have to report the violation. My official policy is you receive a 0 in the course. Always remember, if you use any external sources, you must cite them.
- Student Code of Conduct: Students and instructors will follow the following guide for how we conduct ourselves. This is to create a respectful environment where everyone can learn.
Make-Up Policy
Students participating in varsity athletics(this does not include club sports or intramurals) or other University sanctioned events may have the need for a make-up. Please contact me in advance of such events, so that appropriate accommodations can be made.
Occasionally, other life events and circumstances occur that were not planned. If this is the case, please e-mail me privately.
E-mailing me asking for extensions just because is unfortunately not fair to your classmates. The 10% penalty for each day late has to be enforced so I do not get taken advantage of.
Accessibility
Part of what makes Northeastern University unique, is our diverse cohort of students, faculty, and staff. In order to support this, Northeastern is committed to providing equal access and support to all qualified students through the provision of reasonable accommodations so that each student may fully participate in the University experience. If you have a disability that requires accommodations, please contact the Student Accessibility Services office at DRC@northeastern.edu or (617) 373-2675 to make an appointment with the Disability Resource Center representatives in 20 Dodge Hall to determine appropriate accommodations.
Lateness and Attendance Policy
Students who do well in this course tend to show up to the course consistently, participate, and engage with their peers. Come to class, come on time, and build good habits! In-Class activities that are not attended are a zero.
Assessment/Course Polices
Please find below the grading distribution that will be used for this course. You will find the grade you earn in this course on blackboard.
- In-Class Activity: (10%)
- In-Class Labs: (15%)
- Labs are due before class of the following week.
- Exam/Quiz: (10%)
- Assignments: (Each worth remaining % / # of Assignments)
- The grade system follows the University Grading System.
- A = 95 – 100
- A- = 91 – 94
- B+ = 87 – 90
- B = 83 – 86
- B- = 80 – 82
- C+ = 77 – 79
- C = 73 – 76
- D+ = 67 – 69
- D = 63 – 66
- F = 0 – 62
- In the event of a sick/snow day (i.e. we miss a lab or in-class activity) the weight of each assignment increases (There may also be shuffling of course material if we are interrupted).
- The expectation is that the assignments are fair but difficult, so you should start early!
- Late Submissions of Assignments receive 10% off per day submitted late (up to 3 days max, then 0% received)
- Assignments that do not compile/open receive no credit Simply put, programs that do not compile do not do anything.
- There are no "re-grades" or points awarded one week after your grade is posted. "re-grades" can result in a higher or lower score.
- If you are currently waitlisted, you must submit your homework on time. That is the gamble! If you do not have blackboard access, you will submit by e-mail or other course mechanism.
- There are no extra credit assignments. I reserve the right to add points to assignments that do go above and beyond however.
- I reserve the right to modify the grading scale in your favor if you show exemplary proficiency in any of the catagories. I will never modify the scale to lower a students grade.
- In class work cannot be made up at a later date unless otherwise arranged with the instructor well in advance. Course work completed after the date cannot be graded, as solutions will have been discuseed (this includes if taking this course for an Incomplete).
- No Facebook, no cell phones. Not only does it distract you, it distracts others!
- Everyone needs to come see me in office hours (or by appointment) at least one time during the semester to introduce yourself. The purpose is so that you:
- Know where my office is.
- Get used to coming to office hours.
- Let me know how I can help you achieve your goals.