Spring Semester 1999-2000
Dennis Hall, Room 231
9:00-9:50 MWF
Syllabus
By way of comparison, a course on "computer architecture" might answer the question "How do I design a computer?" It would devote considerable attention to identifying which functionality should be included in a system, to evaluating a number of options for acheiving the design goals, and to explaining techniques for implementing them. Principles of Computer Organization is about understanding the inner workings of computer systems from a conceptual standpoint, rather than from an engineering standpoint.
Upon successful completion of this course, the computer will no longer seem a "black box" to you. The magical incantations that we call programs will no longer simply "work"; they will have a "meaning" that is grounded in the layers of physical and virtual machinery upon which they run. More importantly, you will have encountered a number of diverse paradigms for solving problems using computer systems. This course should give you a robust framework upon which to hang new knowledge within the discipline.
This course is also about learning the skills needed to acquire this kind of knowledge. It is about careful reading of a scientific text. It is about using exercise problems to probe and develop your understanding of the material. It is about bringing material up to date and finding the leading edge of a field within the discipline. And, it is about interacting closely with others in your discipline to learn, investigate, and understand more thoroughly than might be possible through individual, lone scholarship.
In short, this course is not just about learning the subject matter, it is also about developing habits and methods appropriate to the discipline and to scholarly inquiry in general.
I consider CS38 (or equivalent) to be an absolute requirement for taking this course. Students who have not taken CS41 (or equivalent) will find the material accessible, but may find the programming assignments more challenging and the sections on virtual memory and caching a little ungrounded; I encourage you to consider taking the course with this caveat. Note that MATH25: Discrete Mathematics develops an understanding of symbolic logic and number representation, and is a co-requisite for CS41. I consider MATH25 (or equivalent) to be an absolute pre-requisite for taking this course.
Your grade for the course for the course will be based on your exercises, the final examination and your participation.
The course schedule, how to reach me, and a possible motto are also covered below.
This syllabus and other handouts will be available, where practical, on the course homepage.
There is a listserv available to facilitate e-mail correspondence between members of the class.
Also required is Tracey Kidder, Soul of a New Machine (Avon Books, 1995). This is a fictional account of a real-life project in which a new 32-bit minicomputer was designed from scratch in a year. It offers some insight into our industry and a context for what we're studying in the course. We'll read this together as we go through the course. My sincre hope is that the text will inspire thoughtful reflection and scintillating class discussion. Bring questions to class about what you read.
Commands to join the list or modify your subscription to it should be sent to majordomo@cs.earlham.edu. You can obtain a list of commands by sending a message with the single line "help" to majordomo@cs.earlham.edu.
I will assign approximately 5 exercise problems which will be due at each class session. You should show up prepared to present your solution to the class at that time. The exercise problems are an excellent way to prepare for the quizzes and the final exam. The exercises are worth 40% of your grade.
I have placed a copy of the publisher's problem solutions on reserve in Wildman Science Library. Time permitting, I will also place on the course homepage my own solution sets for the exercises. Feel free to use these to check your own work and understanding. Please do not use them to circumvent your learning procesess. Looking at the solution before you've given the problem your best effort not only deprives you of the thrill of solving the problem, but it also deprives you of proper preparation for the exam.
The quizzes will be take-home; I will make them available to you, and you are on your honor to do them independently, without the text or other reference materials, and within one hour. I will mark any that are turned in, and solutions will be available as handouts and on the course homepage after the due date.
I strongly encourage you to take advantage of the quizzes as a means for gauging your progress and for letting me know where you are in the course. As always, show your work. Again, the quizzes are optional and do not take part in your course grade.
Except under extreme circumstances, it will be offered only at the time scheduled by the Registrar of the College. It will cover all concepts and methods discussed or presented in the course. If you do all the exercises, do the take-home quizzes, and fully engage yourself in the class, you should do well on the exam.
The exam is worth 40% of your grade.
We meet as a class for a number of reasons:
The quality and extent of your participation will count toward 20% of your grade.
| Component | Weight |
|---|---|
| Exercises | 40% |
| Final Exam | 40% |
| Participation | 20% |
| Course Evaluation | 0% |
I will use a weighted average numerical grade when computing your grade for the course. For the purpose of assigning letter grades, the following conversion table will be used:
| Letter Grades | ||
|---|---|---|
| A+ | greater than 97% | less than or equal to 100% |
| A | greater than 93% | less than or equal to 97% |
| A- | greater than 90% | less than or equal to 93% |
| B+ | greater than 87% | less than or equal to 90% |
| B | greater than 83% | less than or equal to 87% |
| B- | greater than 80% | less than or equal to 83% |
| C+ | greater than 77% | less than or equal to 80% |
| C | greater than 73% | less than or equal to 77% |
| C- | greater than 70% | less than or equal to 73% |
| D+ | greater than 67% | less than or equal to 70% |
| D | greater than 63% | less than or equal to 67% |
| D- | greater than 60% | less than or equal to 63% |
| NP | greater than 0% | less than or equal to 60% |
For example, if turned in 92% of the exercises, got 84% on the final exam, and had a participation grade of 100%, you would get a "B+" (92 * 40% + 84 * 40% + 93 * 20% = 89.0%).
On days when problem sets are due, I will devote available time to answering specific questions about the problems, or other questions from the reading. I will address questions of interest to the largest number of class members present before addressing questions of individual interest. I will lecture from time to time where I have additional commentary which may be valuable.
In general, the class sessions are available for you to get answers to questions you generate while reading, working on the problems. Always be prepared to discuss the material from the text and your own work in depth. I will facilitate or lead discussion which I think will be most valuable for the class as a whole. Be sure to bring your brain and your most inquisitive self. Make the most out of coming to class; it's your time.
I will be on campus and generally available to the course from 8:-10: MWF throughout the semester. I will likely be around more often, mostly in the mornings, so feel free to stop by my office. I can be available at other times by appointment.
I check e-mail several times each day, and e-mail is often the best way to get a specific answer to a specific question. My e-mail address is rayo@ontko.com. Note that rayo@cs.earlham.edu and ontkora@earlham.edu may also work, but these are forwarded hopefully to the first address listed above.
My campus mailing address is Drawer 98. I share this with the rest of the department, so this is not necessarily a good place to turn in assignments. If you want to turn in an assignment, please place it under the door to my office with the following clearly shown: your name, my name, and the date and time you left it.
I do not have a campus telephone extension. If you wish to leave voice mail for me, dial my company voice mail at 966-6221, voicemail box 9001.
My phone number at Ray Ontko & Company is 935-4283. Please feel free to call me there. When I'm not on campus, it's where you're most likely to find me, often past 5:00 pm. If I'm not there, leave a message including the phone number I should call and when I might reach you there.
My home phone number is 935-1598. Please don't call before 9:00 am or after 9:00 pm unless it's an emergency. If it's an emergency, please do not hesitate to call.
"Work hard. Learn lots. Stay Excited. Have fun."
Copyright © 1999, 1997, Ray Ontko (rayo@ontko.com).