CS611
Assembly Language Programming and Machine Organization
Fall 1998

Instructor: P. Hatcher
Office: Kingsbury M208
Phone: 862-3778
E-mail: pjh@cs.unh.edu
Office Hours: MWF 9:30-10:00am, MWF 11:10-11:45am, or by appointment.

The prerequisite for this course is CS410 or CS412 or CS416.

The key goals for the course are to understand program and data representation, to become familiar with assembly language and machine language programming, to understand the impact on software of basic computer architecture concepts such as the memory hierarchy, and to study fundamental system software such as assemblers, linkers and debuggers.

Grading

• Each program will be worth 8% of the course grade (7 @ 8% = 56% total).

• Each quiz will be worth 11% of the course grade (4 @ 11% = 44% total).

The final course grades are posted here.

The programming assignments are (with tentative due dates):

1. Translate Unicode to/from UTF-8: due Sep 20.

2. Write DEC Alpha assembly language program: due Oct 4.

3. Disassemble DEC Alpha instructions: due Oct 18.

4. Implement sim611 virtual machine: due Nov 1.

5. Implement floating point instructions for sim611 virtual machine : due Nov 15.

6. Implement a debugger for sim611 using sim611 assembly language: due Dec 6.

7. Implement an out-of-core Jacobi calculation: due Dec 16.

The programming assignments must be done in C. (There are two exceptions: program 2 must be done using DEC Alpha assembler and program 6 must be done using sim611 assembler.)

Programming assignments may be handed in late at a penalty of 5% per day up to one week late. (There is one exception: no late submissions will be accepted for the last program: program 7.) A program is not considered late unless turned in after 8am on the day after the due date.

The grading of programming assignments will be based primarily upon demonstrated correct functionality. That is, you will be awarded points for what your program actually does. The bulk of the test cases will be public and available in advance.

Points may be deducted from your programming assignment grade if your work is not adequately documented and structured. If we can't easily read and understand your program, you may lose points! The following are some guidelines:

• each function should have a header explaining its purpose;

• avoid long functions;

• global variables should be used sparingly and for good purpose;

• function bodies should be well-commented;

• use symbolic constants when appropriate;

• always use function prototypes; and,

• choose meaningful variable and function names.

The quizzes will be given during normal class meeting times. They will cover the following topics (given with tentative dates):

1. Data representation and C programming - Sep 23

2. DEC Alpha - Oct 21

3. Virtual machines and floating point representation - Nov 18

4. Hardware and software interface - Dec 2

Students receiving at least 68% of the course points are guaranteed at least a C. Students receiving at least 78% of the course points are guaranteed at least a B. Students receiving at least 88% of the course points are guaranteed at least an A.

Textbooks

On reserve in the Kingsbury library:

• Computer Organization & Design: The Hardware/Software Interface
  by Patterson and Hennessy

• Alpha AXP Architecture Reference Manual
  by Sites and Witek

• DEC OSF/1 Assembly Language Programmer's Guide

• The Java Virtual Machine Specification
  by Lindholm and Yellin

I do not think you need to purchase any of the above books. Access to the copies on reserve in the library should be sufficient. However, if you want to order your own copies of any of the books on reserve, I suggest Quantum Books or Amazon.com Books.

Computer Accounts

Policy on Cheating

Because so much of your course grade is based upon the programming assignments, I will treat cases of cheating severely. If caught cheating on an assignment, you can expect to (at least) receive a failing grade for the course.

Comments and questions should be directed to pjh@cs.unh.edu