Lecture Notes: Introduction to CS162

Class Introduction

• Instructor: John Kubatowicz
• Platform: Zoom, with 292 attendees
• Interaction: Questions via chat to maintain order
• Class focuses on operating systems (OS) and their importance

Course Overview

• Virtual version of CS162, fitting as it deals with virtualization
• Slides and videos will be posted
• Interaction is crucial, especially challenging virtually

Key Topics and Themes

The Internet as a System

• Described as "the greatest artifact of human civilization"
• Billions of interconnected people and devices
• Operating systems tie together the complexity of the internet

Evolution of the Internet

• From ARPANET's 256 devices to billions today
• World Wide Web's rise in the early '90s
• Diversity of devices per person is increasing

Operating Systems: Role and Importance

• OS as a critical component of networking and device management
• Provides a consistent programming abstraction across various hardware

Core Concepts in Operating Systems

• Processes, threads, concurrency, scheduling, coordination
• Address spaces, protection, isolation, security
• Communication protocols, persistent storage, transactions, consistency

What is an Operating System?

Functions

• Illusionist: Provides abstractions like infinite memory, etc.
• Referee: Manages protection, isolation, resource sharing

Components

• Hardware-software interface
• User-level programs, system libraries, and processes

Virtualization

• Threads, address spaces, files, sockets
• Process abstraction provides an execution environment

Operating Systems as Illusionists

• Provide clean abstractions (e.g., files, address spaces)
• Virtualize hardware to create usable environments

Protection and Security

• OS ensures processes are isolated from each other
• Manages access to shared resources

System Programming and Interfaces

• Use of system libraries, system programming practices
• Importance of abstractions for managing complexity

Course Logistics

• Early drop deadline: September 4th
• Camera requirement for discussions, design reviews, exams
• Importance of collaboration and personal interaction

Class Resources

• Textbook: "Principles and Practices of Operating Systems"
• Additional readings and online resources available

Course Structure

• Homeworks, projects (individual and group)
• Group work essential, must form groups by the third week of classes

Grading and Academic Integrity

• Breakdown: Midterms, projects, homework, participation
• Honor code: Collaboration within groups is allowed, not across

Final Notes

• OS as a complex, exciting field due to its role in large systems
• Modern systems involve multi-core processors and distributed computing
• The course aims to provide both theoretical and practical understanding

Instructor and TA Information

• Professor Kubatowicz's background in hardware, operating systems, and distributed systems
• Enthusiastic set of TAs for course support