CMSC 421 Operation Systems
Section 0101
Dr. Muhammad Rabi
Mon/Wed,   7:00 p.m.-8:15 p.m.,  SS 206


Course Description
This class covers the basics of modern computer operating systems, including processes and synchronization, memory management, file systems, and security. Students taking this class should have completed CMSC 311 and CMSC 341 at UMBC, or their equivalents elsewhere. Strong programming skills are required to complete the projects (there will be 2 - 3). This will require a significant amount of programming effort in C on Unix-based systems.

Required Textbook
Operating Systems Concepts (5th Edition), Silberschatz & Galvin

Grading
Your grade for this course will be based upon homeworks, 2-3 projects, one midterm exam and the final exam. The homeworks are worth 10 percentage points, the projects are worth 40 percentage points of your grade, each project weighted equally. The midterm is worth 20 precentage points; the final is worth 30 points. No makeup exams will be given.
Your final letter grade is based on the standard formula:

0 <= F < 60, 60 <= D < 70, 70 <= C < 80, 80 <= B < 90, 90 <= A <= 100

Attendance and Readings
You are expected to attend all lectures. You are responsible for all material covered in the lecture, even if it is not in the textbook.

Contacting Me or the TA
Please feel free to visit me or the TA during our office hours. If you can't make it during the regular hours, please ask for an appointment. We will do everything we can to be available to provide help with this course. Office hours, phone numbers and other contact information is available on-line.The TA for this section is Justin Black, and his email address is jblack5@umbc.edu.

Academic Integrity
Cheating in any form will not be tolerated. Instances of cheating will be reported to the UMBC Academic Conduct Committee. These reports are filed by the Committee and can be used for disciplinary action such as a permanent record on your transcript. Academic honesty is absolutely required of you. You are expected to be honest yourself and to report any cases of dishonesty you see among other students in this class. Reports of dishonest behavior will be kept anonymous.

Students are welcome and encouraged to study together for exams, but examinations are to be your own work -- not your neighbor's and not your notes. All exams are closed-book, closed-notes. Only pencils (or pens) and erasers are permitted in the exam room unless otherwise indicated. Scratch paper is provided to you, as needed. Having any other materials in your possession during an exam will be taken as evidence of cheating and dealt with accordingly.

Course Schedule
This schedule is tentative. Dates and topics are subject to change as required by class progress. It refers to the required textbook (Operating System Concepts,5th ed.)

Course Web Page
A few handouts will be provided in paper form at the first class. After that, all handouts will be provided only on the web. The course web page URL is

http://www.cs.umbc.edu/courses/undergraduate/421/spring01/index.html
Please check the web page frequently. Any changes to the page will be mentioned in the "What's New" link.
Last modified on Sunday 28 January 2001 by Dr. Muhammad Rabi
email: mrabi@cs.umbc.edu

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