The Lab Version

CS 1690 & CS 2670 • Diving Deeper into Operating Systems

Overview & Expectations

The "lab version" is a half-credit addon for CS 1670, called CS 1690 (for undergraduates) or CS 2670 (for graduate students, or concurrent master's students). Senior undergraduates may use the lab portion to count for their capstone requirement.

The lab version is designed for students who want to explore operating systems concepts at a deeper level, including more hands-on time with real-hardware during assignments, and an extra weekly discussion seminar about how modern operating systems implement features in practice.

Two Main Components

1. Most projects will have an extra implementation component (details TBD).
2. Students will attend a weekly discussion seminar on Fridays 3-4:20pm, where we will discuss papers on modern OS features. In-person attendance is required (no remote option).

How much work is the lab?

The lab will require work equivalent to one-half of a regular course, amounting to at least 90 hours over the course of the semester. On a weekly basis, we expect the lab to add roughly 5-6 hours extra work per week.

1.5 hrs

Attending Seminar

1-2 hrs

Seminar Prep / Readings

2-3 hrs

Extra Assignment Work

Who Should Enroll?

No additional experience necessary.

The prerequisites are the exact same as CS 1670 (i.e., CS 0300/1310, CS 0330/1330, or equivalent). We encourage everyone interested in CS 1670 who wants to explore the concepts and hardware implementation more deeply to take the lab, as long as you are comfortable with the extra time commitment and can attend the seminar!

Course Numbers Explained

The lab version has two course numbers due to the way credits are counted for undergraduate and graduate students. Both are exactly the same in terms of content.

Undergrads

CS 1690

Undergraduates should enroll in CS 1690 in addition to CS 1670. This is the standard mode for "half-credit" lab courses, allowing you to count the extra half-credit toward your degree requirements.

Grad Students

CS 2670

Graduate students (and concurrent master's students) should enroll in CS 2670 only. This combines both 1670 and 1690 into one 2000-level course to grant 2000-level credit.

Important Note for CS 2670: Students taking CS 2670 are committed to completing the requirements for both the lab and main portion of the course. After the add/drop period ends, it is not possible to drop the lab portion and still get credit for CS 1670.

Next Steps

How do I sign up?

1

Undergraduates: Sign up for CS 1690 on CAB as normal.
2

Grad Students: Fill out this form and request an override. We will respond as soon as we can.