CS 110: Principles of Computer Systems

Formally, the prerequisite for the course is CS 107. Less formally, you need to be familiar with the C and C++ programming languages, Unix/Linux, make, Makefiles, gcc/g++, valgrind, gdb, and have some experience with basic computer architecture (x86 as it’s taught in CS107, or exposure to some other architecture with the confidence and ability to pick up x86 as I reference it). If you have not taken CS 107, please email me at the beginning of the quarter to let me know.

We’ll be coding in a mixture of C and C++ throughout the quarter. We rely on C, because the libraries needed to interface with system resources are written in C. We rely on C++, because the projects become large enough that I prefer to go with a more mature language that supports encapsulation and generic programming better than C does. You should understand pointers, dynamic memory allocation (malloc/realloc/free), and C strings perfectly. You should understand C++ classes, methods, references, templates, and C++'s newand delete operators. There are many C++ features you’re not expected to know, but you should have enough programming maturity to pick those features up and search the web for reference materials as needed.

The CS 107 course websiteis still up and may be a good reference. If you have not taken CS 107 and find yourself struggling, get help as soon as possible! This class moves quickly, and you will not want to fall behind. Email me and I may be able to point you to helpful resources.

Readings are optional this quarter. I will post notes and slides with most lectures as reference material. However, if you would like additional readings to prepare for lecture or to reinforce concepts, I will list associated readings from the following textbooks:

• Computer Systems: A Programmer’s Perspective by Bryant and O’Hallaron, either the 2nd or 3rd edition. Both CS107 and CS110 teach from a subset of the B&O textbook, the Stanford Bookstore carries a custom reader with just the chapters we need. Additionally, the Stanford library should have scans of this book available online in a week or two, although these are not yet available at time of writing.
• Principles of Computer System Design: An Introduction by Jerome H. Saltzer and M. Frans Kaashoek. The textbook should be available through the Stanford library reserves or Science Direct, and because it’s free, I assume most of you would just prefer to go with the free online version. Again, you’re welcome to purchase a hardcopy if you’d like. It’s available for purchase on Amazon.