Table of Contents:

General Description:

Algorithms, data structures, and problem solving techniques for attacking and solving problems that are generic to concurrent systems. Emphasis on real-world problems, featuring case studies. There is a laboratory component for this course, and several programming assignments will be given (outside of lab) to allow practice on course-related topics.

Prerequisites:

CS 1502 or equivalent

Instructor:

Jim Greenlee (note: please call me Jim!)
College of Computing 115, 894-6049
Office Hours: MWF 10-11, 12-1, Th 9:30-11 (other times by appointment)
Email:

Required Texts:

• Weiss: Efficient C Programming
• Various: UNIX On-line Manual Pages

Newsgroups:

We have created several newsgroups for CS 2430. Here is a list and brief description of each one:

Rules and Regulations for Newsgroup Usage:

1. Students in CS 2430 are responsible for all information posted in any of the .announce, .homework, or .project newsgroups.
   
   
2. Homework and project assignments will be posted in .announce and cross-posted to their respective newsgroups. Further discussion will be directed to (and should take place in) the appropriate newsgroup, depending on what type of assignment it is.
   
   
3. The .questions newsgroup should be used for issues that are peripherally related to the course content, but are not specific to any of the .announce, .homework, or .project newsgroups. These might include questions about courseware (compilers, editors, etc), general programming techniques or strategies, system and library calls, etc.
   
   While students are not required to read this newsgroup, they should definitely try to keep up with some of what is going on here, as it might help with your overall efficiency in completing assignments.
   
   
4. The purpose of the .flame newsgroup should be self-explanatory. No specific rules of decorum apply here (other than whatever "reasonable use" requirements are imposed by OIT). It is intended to provide a forum where students, TAs, and faculty can engage in healthy, spirited debate about whatever ails them. In other words, its purpose is purely cathartic.
   
   HOWEVER - do not allow discussions from the .flame newsgroup to spill over into the other newsgroups. There is to be no cross-posting between .flame and any other newsgroup in the CS 2430 hierarchy (cross-postings to other newsgroup outside of CS 2430 is permitted, subject to the "rules of normal conduct" for those groups). Postings that violate this rule will be cancelled. Any person who repeatedly violates this rule will be reported to OIT.
   
   

Grading:

• 15% Programming Assignments
• 15% Homeworks
• 40% Tests (2)
• 30% Final Exam

Programming Assignments:

Detailed project description documents are posted to the appropriate newsgroups. A project description document will contain an overview of the project, how it will be distributed, how to turn it in, and how it will be graded. Please read the documents carefully.

Homeworks:

A homework assignment will be given out each week of class. It will normally be posted to the newsgroup on or about Wednesday of each week, and students will have until Thursday of the following week to complete the homework and turn it in. Homeworks must be submitted electronically via the "turnin" program, before 8:00 AM on the day that they are due. Late homeworks will not be accepted for grading, and will receive a grade of 0 (zero). Makeup assignments will not be provided or accepted. All homeworks count equally toward the Homework portion of the final grade.

Exams:

Two midterm exams will be given in class on October 19 and November 16. They will be closed book, closed notes, and will consist of essay or short answer questions, plus some coding (debugging and writing, etc). A comprehensive exam will be given during the appointed time period during finals week. Details about these exams will be discussed closer to the time that they are given.

Recitations:

Recitations are held weekly. During weeks when a programming project is due, the recitation TA will go over some relevant aspects of the project.

After the allotted time for the project discussion the recitation TA will discuss pertinent aspects of the homework assignment that is due that week. Often, this discussion will be conducted as a "question and answer" session, so be sure that you have looked over the homework prior to coming to recitation.

Requests to change to a different recitation section must be approved in writing by the course instructor. In no event will approval for a change be given after the end of the first full week of classes.

Academic Honesty:

It is expected that (unless specific instructions to the contrary are given) all student submissions will be individual efforts. All required coursework that is submitted for evaluation in this academic course becomes the property of the Georgia Institute of Technology, and is subject to review for evidence of academic misconduct. If such evidence is discovered, then the offending students will be referred to the Dean of Students for investigation.

Section XIX.B. of the Student Rules and Regulations defines academic misconduct as ``any act that does or could improperly distort student grades or other student records.''

Among the list of items that are cited in this section is the following:

1. Possessing, using or exchanging improperly acquired written or verbal information in the preparation of an essay, laboratory report, examination, or other assignment included in the academic course.

In layman's terms, this means that if any student receives or provides any information that would enable himself/herself or any other person to complete an assignment or examination that is not wholly the work of the person submitting that assignment or examination, then that student is in violation of the academic honor code of Georgia Tech.

Any such incidents will be dealt with accordingly, and penalties for conviction can be severe - up to and including notice of academic misconduct on a transcript, failure in the academic course, expulsion from the College of Computing, expulsion from Georgia Tech, and community service.

Note: we use "cheatfinder", so don't even think about it.

Teaching Assistants:

Note: during office hours, TAs may be found in the CoC lounge area or the computer clusters next to it (SGI, Baird, NT, TA Lab).

Other Related Newsgroups:

References:

Useful Links:

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