CS310 - Computer Organization and Programming
(Spring 2004 - the hardware/software interface)

Course Objectives

To understand the basic operation of computing systems. Upon completing this course, students should have a high-level understanding of the
role played by each major component of the system, including compiler, operating system, assembler, instruction set, and hardware. 

Student Evaluation

 Your performance in this class will be evaluated through homework and programming assignments, and three exams. The weights of each of these components is listed below:

• Three Midterms:  60%  (#1 is 22.5%, #2 is 22.5%, #3 is 15%)

• Discussion Section Participation 5%

• Best score of the first two exams: 10%

• Homework and Programming Assignments: 25%

The first two midterms will last 2-hours and will be given in the evening. Make-up exams will be given ONLY for an official UT conflict, and you must submit a written make-up request with proof of conflict to the instructor one week before the exam.  The last midterm will be during the last class, for which you are officially registered. The exam schedule is as follows:

• Midterm1: Monday, March 1, 7-9p.m. WEL 1.316.

• Midterm 2: Monday, April 12, 7-9p.m. WEL 1.316.

• Midterm 3:  Friday, May 7th, 50minutes, in class.

This semester we will have 7 to 9 homeworks.  The non-programming problems are given to help pace yourself in the reading,  study concepts, and design simple hardware solutions. The programming problems will focus on implementing algorithms used by compilers and the Operating System, and is vitally important to your understanding of this course.  Be sure to read each assignment's turn in procedure and it's time of day deadline. Each assignment will specify a unique turn-in deadline, and the maximum number of penalty days allowed for that assignment.  A common late penalty is -10% per day for a maximum of two late days.

The programming language we will use is LC-3 and is a very simple, generic example of an ISA, thus you will need to use a simulator to run and test your programs.  The Fall 2003 students used the LC-3 simulator for the Windows platform either in the UTCS MicroLab, or else downloaded the simulator and then worked at home. A LINUX version of the simulator has just been released, but it is probably a beta version.   


Electronic Turnin:  Your programming assignments will be submitted electronically using a UT CS LINUX turnin utility and thus will require you to use your CS departmental Unix account. We will not be using the MicroLab turnin.  You may not email your assignments to the teaching staff. The programs will be graded on correctness, readability, style, and documentation.  All CS students who meet the prerequisites for CS310 are eligible for a CS departmental Microlab account and undergraduate Unix account. Important links:

• Unix Account home page

• Linux Labs (Painter 1.44)

• Microlab homepage

Interaction with your TA

Feel free to attend any/all of the CS310 office hours.

Your TA will conduct 50 min. discussion sections each Thursday to provide extra time for questions, to present additional examples of problem-solving techniques, to review the assignments, and to present new material.

The grading of assignments and tests will be shared among myself, the TAs, and the proctor, but your contact point for grades will be your TA.  Assignments and tests will be returned by your TA.  Any grading problems should be submitted in writing to your TA for resolution first, before appealing to me. You have one week to turn in a written appeal, after the TA returns the assignment.

Academic Misconduct Policy

You are free to discuss the course material with your classmates and are encouraged to form study groups for the exams. However, collaboration on homework or programming assignments is not permitted. Helping a friend understand the intent of a homework or programming assignment specification is permitted. Students who work together too closely (e.g. design their solution together) should be aware that this is a form of cheating called COLLUSION and is subject to academic penalties.  Penalties for academic misconduct include a failing grade in this course.  

The homework, programs, and exams must be the work of students turning them in. University policy will be followed strictly. (See the  Dean of Students' policies on academic integrity) Acts that exceed the bounds defined by the approved collaboration practices will be considered cheating. Such acts include:

• Copying solutions, code, or programs from someone else or giving someone else your solutions, code, or programs

• Participation in a discussion group that develops a solution that everyone copies

We urge everyone in the class to take appropriate measures for protecting one's work. You should protect your files, homework solution sheets, etc. as deemed reasonable.

Studying for tests together is permitted and encouraged. Please come talk to me if you are unsure about how to work together with your friend in a legal, helpful manner. Remember, it is always ok to "work together" with your professor or TA!

Your Responsibilities in This Class:

• Your performance in this class will be determined by you! It will require a strong dedication to learning the material and may require a substantial time commitment to complete the programming assignments.

• You are expected to show up on time for lecture and discussion sections, with your cell phone turned off.

• You are responsible for all material posted to the class web site or emailed to your address that you registered with UTDirect.  (To make this easy on you, we will not post required information any later than 48hrs before 'an assignment is due' or 'the exam date'). Ignorance of such material is no excuse.

• You are responsible for obtaining departmental Unix accounts, and learning the Unix operating system sufficiently well to meet the demands of the course. The CS department provides several sessions of a 1 hour introduction at the beginning of every semester.

• You are responsible for all material presented in lecture and in discussion sections. Note: lectures will include some material that is not available elsewhere.  We advise you to attend all discussion sections so as not to miss out on material that will be covered in assignments and on exams.

• You are expected to attend the discussion section for which you are registered. This is important to allow all students equal access to the TAs. Furthermore, all assignments and exams will be returned in discussion sections by your TA.

• You are responsible for turning in your own work on all assignments. Unauthorized collusion is not allowed and constitutes a violation of the university's policies on academic integrity. See above guidelines for more information on what is or is not allowed.

• You are responsible for protecting your work from being copied by others.

• I support the CS code of Conduct for CS310 faculty, TAs, proctors, and students; please read and adhere to it as well.