15-213 (18-213): Introduction to Computer Systems (ICS)

Fall 2014
Lecture 1: TR 1:30-2:50, DH 2315, Greg Ganger and Dave O'Hallaron
Lecture 2: TR 6:30-7:50, WeH 7500, Greg Kesden
12 units

The ICS course provides a programmer's view of how computer systems execute programs, store information, and communicate. It enables students to become more effective programmers, especially in dealing with issues of performance, portability and robustness. It also serves as a foundation for courses on compilers, networks, operating systems, and computer architecture, where a deeper understanding of systems-level issues is required. Topics covered include: machine-level code and its generation by optimizing compilers, performance evaluation and optimization, computer arithmetic, memory organization and management, networking technology and protocols, and supporting concurrent computation.

Course Syllabus (includes rules on cheating, late assignments, etc)

Prerequisites: 15-122


What's New?

  • Saturday, October 4: The slides for the C boot camp can be found here (pdf) and here (pptx). The code we demo'd and the C puzzles can be found here
  • Thu, Aug 28: For students who aren't yet enrolled and are still waiting to add in, we've made the datalab handout and writeup available from the schedule page.
  • Thu, Aug 28: Academic Development is offering walk-in tutoring for 213 students on Tuesdays, 8:30-11:00pm, Mudge Reading Room.
  • Thu, Aug 21: Office hours begin on Tuesday, Sept 2.
  • Thu, Aug 21: Please don't contact the instructors with waitlist questions. The following two people can help you with all of your wait list questions:
    • 15-213: Catherine Fichtner (cathyf@cs.cmu.edu)
    • 18-213: Chelsea Mastilak (cmastila@andrew.cmu.edu)

    Getting Help

    Email 15-213-staff@cs.cmu.edu
    TA Office Hours Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu: 5:30-8:30pm, WeH 5207, no appt needed
    Tutoring Tue, 8:30-11:00pm, Mudge Reading Room, no appt needed

    Course Materials

    Schedule Lecture schedule, slides, recitation notes, readings, and code
    Assignments Details of assignments, due dates, and policies
    Exams Information about quizzes, exams, and final
    Lab Machines Instructions for using the lab machines
    Resources Additional course resources

    Course Information

    For details See the course syllabus for details (below is just a few overview bits).
    Lectures TR 1:30-2:50 DH 2315 and TR 6:30-7:50 WeH 7500
    Recitations [Office hours] Section A: Mon 10:30-11:20, SH 222, Vinay Bhat [Sun]
    Section B: Mon 10:30-11:20, PH 226B, Jack Biggs [Wed]
    Section C: Mon 11:30-12:20, SH 220, Lou Clark [Tue]
    Section D: Mon 12:30-1:20, DH 2105, Arjun Hans [Thu]
    Section E: Mon 1:30-2:20, PH A19, Jimmy Jin [Thu]
    Section F: Mon 1:30-2:20, WEH 5302, Vishvesh [Sun]
    Section G: Mon 2:30-3:20, WEH 5302, Vinay Venkatesh [Mon]
    Section H: Mon 3:30-4:20, PH 125C, Sajjan [Wed]
    Section I: Mon 10:30-11:20, WEH 5310, TJ O'Connor [Thu]
    Section J: Mon 11:30-12:20, WEH 5310, Omkar Gawde [Mon]
    Section K: Mon 12:30-1:20, WEH 5310, Aditya Gupta [Tue]
    Section L: Mon 1:30-2:20, WEH 5310, Shailin Desai [Tue]
    Section M: Mon 2:30-3:20, PH 226B, Shiva [Mon]
    Textbooks Randal E. Bryant and David R. O'Hallaron,
    Computer Systems: A Programmer's Perspective, Second Edition, Prentice Hall, 2011
      Brian W. Kernighan and Dennis M. Ritchie,
    The C Programming Language, Second Edition, Prentice Hall, 1988
    Credit 12 units
    Grading Composed from total lab performance (50%) and total exam performance (50%).
    Labs There are 7 labs, not evenly weighted. See the assignments page for the breakdown.
    Exams There is one midterm exam, online, proctored, closed book (20%).
    There is a final exam, online, proctored, closed book (30%).
    Home http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~213
    Questions Email to 15-213-staff@cs.cmu.edu. Visit office hours (see above)
    Blackboard We are not using Blackboard for this course.
    Piazza We are not using Piazza for this course.
    Course Directory /afs/cs/academic/class/15213-f14/

    Instructors

    Name Greg Ganger Greg Kesden Dave O'Hallaron
    Contact ganger@ece.cmu.edu, x8-1297 gkesden@cs.cmu.edu, x8-1590 droh@cs.cmu.edu, x8-8199
    Office CIC 2208 GHC 7711 GHC 7517
    Office Hours TBD (or by appt) See schedule (or by appt) Tue 3:00-4:30 (or by appt)

    Course Assistant

    Name Angie Miller
    Contact amiller@cs.cmu.edu, 412-268-6645
    Office GHC 7123