Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE CIS1102

 
TITLE Computer Platforms and Applied Operating Systems

 
UM LEVEL 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 5

 
ECTS CREDITS 4

 
DEPARTMENT Computer Information Systems

 
DESCRIPTION The study-unit provides a hands-on approach for students about the main concepts and principles and structures underlying various operating systems. The students will also learn how to use different operating systems whilst appreciating the different versions which are made available. Students will be able to work at the shell level and do advanced linux systems programming.

Study-unit Aims

The aim of this study unit is to present the main concepts in various operating systems and to teach students the practical skills required to use and understand the facilities provided by modern operating systems. The main principles involved will be presented and discussed.

Operating systems like Microsoft Windows (W9X, NT, 2000, XP, Vista, 7,8), and more recent ones, Linux & UNIX will be considered. Topics include evolution of operating systems, the structure of operating systems, kernel, memory management, basic concepts of operating systems as a shell between the user and the hardware (concurrency issues, way of running executable programs), pipes, redirection, writing simple shell scripts, file systems and file manipulation, and basic & advanced system utilities (for example editors, text handling).

Concepts of Computer Platforms will be discussed, including different hardware platforms eg x86, GNOME and CUDA.

Learning Outcomes

1. Knowledge & Understanding:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:
- work under various OSes such as Microsoft Windows (W9X/NT/2000/XP/Vista/7/ 8) and more recent ones, Linux & UNIX.
- describe how OSes have evolved to the present day and how they are structured.
- describe what the Kernel is and how memory is managed.
- distinguish between pipes and redirection.
- list and explain the different file systems used under different OSes.
- explain the concepts of operating systems as a shell between the user and the hardware (concurrency issues, way of running executable programs), and computer platforms.

2. Skills:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:
- use OS shells as well as batch scripts, powershell (Windows) and other shell scripts.
- use text editors and other basic & advanced systems utilities.
- manipulate files from the command line and combine processing using pipes.
- do advanced Linux systems programming.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

- A M Lister & R D Eager Fundamentals of Operating Systems, Springer. ISBN-10: 0333598482.

Other:

- H Hahn A Student’s Guide to UNIX, McGraw-Hill Book or UNIX Wizards UNIX Unleashed, SAMS Publ. ISBN-10: 0070254923.

 
ADDITIONAL NOTES Students taking this study-unit need to have a technical background.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture, Independent Study & Practicum

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Examination (2 Hours) Yes 100%

 
LECTURER/S Clyde Meli (Co-ord.)
Anthony Spiteri Staines

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit