This week’s topics
Review and coursework completion
- Reviewing the learning outcomes
- Completing and checking coursework against the criteria
- Self-assessment
What you will be able to do
- 1.1 Outline a range of common operating systems for computers and mobile devices.
- 1.2 Describe the historical development and need for operating systems.
- 1.3 Explain the key components of an operating system.
- 1.4 Explain how operating systems manage hardware and software resources.
- 1.5 Analyse the different kinds of operating system that exist.
- 1.6 Evaluate common trade-offs in resource management for operating systems.
- 2.1 Compare different file system types.
- 2.2 Describe different approaches to memory management.
- 2.3 Describe the role of device drivers in facilitating communication with hardware devices.
- 2.4 Explain the role of virtual (swap) memory.
- 2.5 Explain the role of paging in allowing for non-contiguous memory allocation.
- 2.6 Analyse the difference between fixed and dynamic loading and linking strategies.
- 3.1 Describe what is meant by a process.
- 3.2 Explain the contents of the process control block and its importance.
- 3.3 Explain the way that processes are represented for management by operating systems.
- 3.4 Analyse the range of responsibilities an operating system has for managing the execution of processes.
- 4.1 Outline the difference between independent and cooperating processes.
- 4.2 Describe what is meant by concurrency.
- 4.3 Explain the memory sharing and message passing approaches to inter process communication.
- 4.4 Analyse deadlock and race conditions as potential problems in concurrent processing settings and propose strategies to mitigate them.
- 4.5 Evaluate the importance of low-level and high-level inter process communication.
- 5.1 Develop kernel modules that interact with hardware devices and system resources.
- 5.2 Implement system calls to extend kernel functionality and interact with user-level applications.
- 5.3 Implement kernel-level programs to perform different tasks.
- 5.4 Use debugging to test kernel-level code to ensure stability and performance.
Activity
Guided review of every criterion; coursework completion clinic and peer review.
Study materials
Further resources
- Writing Guide, 20.5: Looking Back, Looking Forward · PDF · OpenStax Writing Guide with Handbook (2021), 20.5: reflective writing about your own learning, pp. 673–678 · for registered students
Materials marked “for registered students” open in the student portal, which is set up as soon as you receive final acceptance.