Module Title : Operating System
Module Code : BIT410

Course Objective
An Operating System is the most widely used piece of software in any computer. This unit aims to teach the concepts underlying Operating Systems, and to show how different choices in Operating System design and implementation have effects on applications, application programmers and user environments.

 At the end of this module students will understand the various levels of system and application software. They will be familiar with the major Operating System services such as file systems, memory management, process management, device control and network services. They will understand how design decisions in Operating Systems affect users of the system.

Course Description
This course covers overview of Operating System functions; Common Unix and MSDOS commands, basic shell programming, file systems, memory management, paging and virtual memory, process management, distributed processing and distributed file systems.

Course Requirement
There will be 6 multiple-choice exams and course assignments (Reaction Papers). The objective is not to test your memorization skills but your ability to readily assimilate principles of computers and then apply the data and concepts to everyday problems and situations.

Course Assignments: Reaction Papers

The reaction paper is your opportunity to reflect and consider each chapter presented in this course.  It should contain your own thoughts, reactions, opinions, areas of agreement or disagreement that you arrive at as you progress through the course.  It may be a reaction to something you read in the text, or outside lecture material.  The paper should be hand-written in ink and a minimum of one page (front & back), single-spaced.

All papers must be submitted at the end of the course.

Grading Procedure
Multiple-choice exams are valued at 70% of final grade; assignment is 30% of final grade.