Instructor Bob Nielson
Lab hours:
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Description: Introductory course for students in Computer Information Systems or in Computer and Information Technologies programs, or having general interest in operating systems. This course will instruct students in operating system concepts including virtual memory, file systems, process management, user management, and security. Students will be required to install and configure a variety of operating systems and software packages.
Disability Statement:Proper documentation of a disability is required in order to receive services or accommodations. Any student eligible for and requesting reasonable academic accommodations due to a disability must provide a letter of accommodation to their professor from the Disability Resource Center within the first two weeks of the beginning of classes. Please contact the Center on the main campus to follow through with the documentation process. We are located in the Student Services Center Room #201, or you may call for an appointment and further information regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) at 652-7516.
Objectives: Ideally the objective of this course is to have the students able to discuss the following principles for Linux, the Windows XP operating environment and Mac OSX:
- hardware selection
- Disk partitioning and formatting
- Configuration
- User administration
- Filesystems
- Security
- PC Building & Selection
- OS Installation, Upgrading and Maintenance
- User and file system administration
- Some shell scripting
Prerequisites:
- none
Attendance: Students are responsible for material covered and announcements made in class. School related absences may be made up only if prior arrangements are made. The class schedule presented is approximate. The instructor reserves the right to modify the schedule according to class needs. Changes will be announced in class.
Labs: You may use the computers in Udvar-Hazy 151 and Udvar-Hazy 200. There will also be TAs in this lab.
Resources: There is one book required for the class(LINUX). There are two optional books. Each deals with its appropriate section in the course:
- Linux+ 2005 In Depth: 1-59200-728-7
Reading: The student is responsible for reading the material in the textbook. A reading schedule is provided with the class schedule. The student is expected to read the material before the class in which it is discussed.
Tests: There will be midterms and a final. Tests will likely be extensions of homework assignments, so be sure to keep backups of all of your work.
Homework: Homework will be graded on accuracy of function. Homework is due at 11:59p.m. on the date listed in the schedule. I cannot over emphasize the importance of starting early and getting all your assignments done before their due date.
Multiple Ways to Turn In Homework:
- Show it to the TA in the lab. The hours will be announced and posted. This method is preferred because you get direct feedback.
- Show it to the instructor during his office hours. This method is also preferred.
Late Policy: Assignments are due at 11:59p.m. on the date specified in the schedule. Handing them in after 11:59p.m. is considered 1 day late. You may turn them in up to 3 school days late but you lose 10 percent per day. After 3 days late, you receive ZERO points.
For example: an assignment due Tuesday at 11:59 p.m. and turned in on time can receive 100 percent.
- Between Tuesday 11:59p.m. and Wednesday 11:59p.m. the assignment can receive at most 90 percent.
- Between Wednesday 11:59p.m. and Thursday 11:59p.m. the assignment can receive at most 80 percent.
- Between Thursday 11:59p.m. and Friday 11:59p.m. the assignment can receive at most 70 percent.
- After Friday 11:59p.m. the assignment will not be accepted.
Saturdays, Sundays, and school holidays do not count as late days. Late days do NOT extend beyond the last day of class.
Time Commitment: Courses should require about 45 hours of work per credit hour of class. This class will require about 135 hours of work on the part of the student to achieve a passing grade. If you don’t have the time to spend on this course, you should probably rethink your schedule.
Cheating: Cheating will not be tolerated, and will result in a failing grade for the students involved. Cheating includes, but is not limited to, turning in homework assignments that are not the student’s work.
You are encouraged to work in groups while studying for tests, discussing class lectures, discussing algorithms for homework solutions, and helping each other identify errors in your homework solutions.
However, each student must create and type in their own solution. Any kind of copying and pasting is NOT okay. If you need help understanding concepts, get it from the instructor or fellow classmates. But never copy another’s code, either electronically or visually.
Grading: Programming assignments and tests each contribute to your total points. Your final grade is based on the percentage of points that you earn. Your grade will be weighted 60% on your tests and 40% on your labs and quizes.
| Percent |
Grade |
Percent |
Grade |
Percent |
Grade |
Percent |
Grade |
|||
| 94-100 |
A |
84-86.9 |
B |
74-76.9 |
C |
64-66.9 |
D |
|||
| 90-93.9 |
A- |
80-83.9 |
B- |
70-73.9 |
C- |
60-63.9 |
D- |
|||
| 87-89.9 |
B+ |
77-79.9 |
C+ |
67-69.9 |
D+ |
< 60 |
F |
