George Mason University
Department of Computer Science

Description: This course provides an introduction to computer systems from a programmer's perspective. Topics include machine-level representation of data and programs, linking and loading, processes, virtual memory and memory allocation.

Prerequisites: Grade of C or better in CS 262 (or CS 222) and grade of C or better in ECE 301, 303, 331, or 445.
Prerequisites will be strictly enforced.

Course Outcomes: Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate an ability to design and implement C programs.
• Demonstrate knowledge of computer arithmetic and logic operations and representations of data at the machine-level.
• Demonstrate knowledge of machine-level representations of (C) programs.
• Demonstrate an ability to use debuggers.
• Demonstrate an understanding of object file linking and related ideas such as relocatable object files and symbol resolution.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the idea of a process, how processes are created and laid out in memory, how processes use virtual memory, and how they are manipulated via interrupts, signals, and context switches.

Meeting Times and Locations: Tuesday and Thursday 12:00 - 13:15, Innovation Hall Room 134.

Readings: The required textbook is Computer Systems: A Programmer's Perspective by Randal Bryant and David O'Hallaron (Prentice Hall, Second Edition, 2011).

Instructor's Office Hours: Thursday 2:45 – 4:15 PM, and by appointment (Office: Engineering Building, Room 5308)

Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA): Saurabh Singh (ssingh11@masonlive.gmu.edu)
GTA Office Hours: Monday and Thursday, 4:00 – 6:00 PM, and by appointment (tentatively in Engineering Building, Room 4456)

Undergraduate Teaching Assistant (UTA): Kevin Andrea (kandrea@masonlive.gmu.edu)
UTA Office Hours: Tuesday 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM; Wednesday 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM (tentatively in Engineering Building, Room 4456)

Grading: Grading Components will be as follows.

• Homeworks and C programming assignments: 15%
• Lab Assignments: 30% (10% + 10% + 10%)
• Midterm Exams: 30% (15% + 15%)
• Final exam: 25%

All exams are closed book. The students must achieve a total score of at least 90 (out of 100) to be considered for an A. No early exams will be given and make-up exams are strongly discouraged.  A student should present an official and verifiable excuse to miss an exam (such as a doctor's note).
All students must abide by the GMU Honor Code and CS Department's Honor Code and Academic Integrity Policies during the semester. The students are supposed to work individually on the assignments. Collaboration will be allowed only for the group assignments/labs, within each group. We reserve the right to use automated tools such as MOSS to detect plagiarism. Violations of the Honor Code or a total score of 49 (or less) will result in an F.

Class Home Page: Throughout the term, all course material (slides, handouts, etc.) will be available on the GMU Blackboard system.

Computer Accounts: All students should have accounts on VSE Unix cluster (aka zeus.ite.gmu.edu). Instructions and related links can be found here. Your programs will be tested and graded on this VSE Unix Cluster.

Classroom Behavior: During the lectures, the students should avoid behavior that may distract others, including chatting, sleeping, playing games, surfing the web. All electronic communication devices (including laptops, PDAs, cell phones) should be either turned off or silenced during the lectures.

Disability Statement: If you have a learning or physical difference that may affect your academic work, you will need to furnish appropriate documentation to GMU Disability Resource Center. If you qualify for accommodation, the DRC staff will give you a form detailing appropriate accommodations for your instructor. If you have such a condition, you must talk to the instructor during the first week of the term about the issue.