DAT2343 - Computer Systems Architecture
Fall 2003
Hybrid Course: 1 hour on-line / 3 hours lectures (per week)
Additional changes will be made to the materials posted on the web (including this document) to reflect the modified delivery format of this course, once such changes have been finalized.
Instructor Information
Alan Pinck
Office: T318
e-mail: pincka@algonquincollege.com
Telephone: 727-4723 x7047
Prerequisite Knowledge
Operating Systems: file management; DOS/Windows usage; shell scripts & batch files; internet usage
Some programming language background is desirable ( C would be particularly useful )
QUA2217 -Mathematics For Computer Programmers: depending upon
the program, this course may have been taken and would make the earlier material
in particular easier to understand.
Text
The main source of content for this course will be the web-based notes provided on-line with this course.
The following text provides an alternate presentation of much of the same material which many will find useful:
You will be expected to follow the course outline and keep
up-to-date with the reading in the web notes even when specific reading assignments
are not provided in class. Ideally to optimize your understanding of the
lecture material, corresponding material should be read prior to the class in
which it is covered.
Additional Software
DEBUG : this is a standard MS-DOS utility that should be found in the DOS directory on every standard IBM compatible microcomputer.
MASM : Macro Assembler Program (plus LINK); at the time this
was written, this software was installed on the local hard drive of all machines in room B382/383 in a subdirectory called
C:\MASM (n.b. there are also two versions of DEBUG in this directory, neither of which will
work with the version of MS-DOS installed).
As an alterative a public domain assembler, Arrow Asm, will be provided (with
its linker, Val); this will be adequate for any requirements of this course
(although there are rumours that it may not work with Windows 2000).
Other software, created by the instructor, may be provided
during this course. Any such materials will come with its own instructions.
Handouts
In general, in-class handouts are not expected in this class since most such material will normally be posted to the web; students are expected to download such materials on their own.
If in-class hand-outs are provided at any time, they will only be available to students who are in
the class at the time the material is handed out. Students who are not in class when such materials
are handed out (or who lose such materials) are expected to make their own copies from other
students.
Homework Exercises / Assignments - 10%
Homework in the form of exercises to be picked-up from the web will be assigned at the end of most classes. Such assignments are to be completed before the next class. Approximately 1/3 of these assignments will be collected (on a random basis) at the beginning of that next class. Assignments that are not handed in at the time they are requested, will not be accepted (even if an attempt is made to hand them in later in the same class).
Marks for such assignments will be based on a demonstration that a reasonable attempt was made to answer the assigned problems; whether on not the correct answers were obtained.
Typically much of the Test and Exam material will be based on these exercises.
Projects - 20%
Four projects will be assigned during this course as specified in the course outline. Exact due dates will be identified in class once the semester and class schedules have been established.
Projects are due at the beginning of class on the due date. Projects handed in after this time will
lose 20% up to the first 24 hours; 40% up to a second 24 hours; and will not be accepted if more
than 48 hours late. It is the student's responsibility to ensure projects are in the hands of the
instructor within these specified time limits.
Mid-Term Test - 35%
As noted earlier, much of this test will be based on slightly modified homework assignment questions.
Because a significant portion of the early material for this course deals with understanding the
basis for arithmetic operations and number systems, the use of calculators is not permitted during
this test.
Final Exam - 35%
This exam will take the same form as the mid-term test
A majority of the material for this test will come from the second half of the course, but some
questions (approximately 20%) will be based on earlier material.
Return to Table of Contents