Princeton University Computer Science Department

Computer Science 217 Introduction to Programming Systems Vivek Pai

Spring 2006

Course Summary

The purpose of this course is to provide the fundamental background necessary to understand, design and implement the components of programming systems. Examples of such components include text editors, assemblers, compilers, loaders, interpreters, and portions of operating systems. The course is divided into three major parts: machine organization and assembly language programming, program design and development, and software tools.

Administrative Information

Lectures: 

MW 10:00-10:50, Computer Science Building 105

Precepts:

1. MW 1:30-2:20, Friend Center 009
2. TTh 12:30-1:20, Computer Science Building 102

Professor:

Vivek Pai : Computer Science Building 322 : 609-258-2086 : vivek@cs.princeton.edu
Office Hours: after class, or by appointment

Preceptor:

Robert Dondero : Computer Science Building 206 : 609-258-2211 : rdondero@cs.princeton.edu
Office Hours: MW 2:30-3:20, TTh 1:30-2:20, or by appointment

Undergraduate Coordinator: 

Donna O'Leary : Computer Science Building 410 : 609-258-1746 : doleary@cs.princeton.edu

Lab Teaching Assistants:

Available in the Friend Center 017 and 016 labs. A Lab Teaching Assistant Schedule is available.

Prerequisites

COS 126. More specifically, you should have substantial programming experience using some high-level programming language such as Java.  Prior experience with the C programming language is helpful but not essential.

Textbooks and Other Reading

Required (available at the University Bookstore):

• C Programming: A Modern Approach, K. N. King, Norton & Co. 1996.
• The Practice of Programming, Brian W. Kernighan and Rob Pike, Addison-Wesley 1999.

Required (available online):

• Programming from the Ground Up, Jonathan Bartlett 2004.

Highly Recommended (available at the University Bookstore, and on reserve in the Engineering Library):

• Programming with GNU Software, Michael K. Loukides & Andrew Oram, O'Reilly 1997.

Optional (available online):

• IA32 Intel Architecture Software Developer's Manual, Volume 1: Basic Architecture
• IA32 Intel Architecture Software Developer's Manual, Volume 2: Instruction Set Reference Manual
• IA32 Intel Architecture Software Developer's Manual, Volume 3: System Programming Guide
• Tool Interface Standard (TIS) Executable and Linking Format (ELF) Specification
• Using as, the GNU Assembler

Other (on reserve in the Engineering Library):

• The C Programming Language (second edition), Brian W. Kernighan and Dennis M. Ritchie, Prentice-Hall 1988.
• C: A Reference Manual (fifth edition), Samuel P. Harbison & Guy L. Steele, Prentice-Hall 2002.
• C Interfaces and Implementations, David R. Hanson, Addison-Wesley 1996.

Note: You may use different editions of the textbooks, but if so then you are responsible for figuring out any changes in section numbers for the readings.

Academic Regulations