CS 125

Computer Systems
Fall 2021
Syllabus

People

Professor:: Geoff Kuenning, HMC McGregor 329, x71610, geoff@cs.hmc.edu
Administrative: Joyce Greene and Kathy Ryan, HMC McGregor 308, x18225

Getting Help

If you need help with assignments, send mail to cs125help "at" cs.hmc.edu. This alias is preferable to mailing the professor directly, since it causes the mail to be sorted into a higher-priority box. Also, include "CS 125" in the subject line. ABOUT SCREENSHOTS: Please do not send screenshots of code. Screenshots take unreasonable amounts of space, are hard to read, prevent us from trying the code out ourselves, and often include only part of the program (usually the part without the bug). Instead, attach a complete copy of your program to your email.

Class Meetings

Lecture Times:: Monday/Wednesday 11:10-12:25 (Beckman B126)

Course Description

The goal of CS 125 is to introduce the big questions in computer networks, such as:

How can we get bits of data from one place to another, efficiently and fairly?
How can we organize, coordinate, and administer networks at all scales?
How can we investigate, test, and analyze an existing network?
Where should the “intelligence” in a network be located?
How do we get secure, private, errorfree communication from untrusted networks?
How can one avoid fragility and gracefully recover from failures?
How does the Internet work, really? Why does it work that way?

The text for the course is Computer Networks, A Top-Down Approach, 7th Edition, by James Kurose and Keith Ross, Pearson, 2016, ISBN 978-0133594140 (hardcover). Note that if you buy the book used, or rent it, you may have to pay a separate fee to access the associated Web site.

If you buy or rent the book from amazon.com via the preceding link, it will generate a commission for the Computer Science Department, which will be placed in the CS student activities fund. The money will directly benefit students, NOT the faculty or the department. Using the link to order any other book will also generate the commission.

Requirements and Grades

We have made great efforts to encourage you to submit material on time. Make sure to read the late policy. The relative weighting scheme will be as follows:

Labs:	40%
Written assignments:	25%
Midterm:	15%
	20%

To pass the class, you must obtain a passing average on the exams and regularly attend class.

Labs

We use pair programming for all the labs. Be aware that if you let your lab partner do most of the work, you will score poorly on exams and thus in the class. Be sure to participate fully in the labs, as that is where a lot of the learning takes place.

When choosing a partner, we suggest that you select someone with a compatible schedule and similar ability. We will reshuffle the pairs about 4–5 weeks into the semester. By then, you will probably have a better idea of who in the class is a good match.

Written Assignments

There will be regular written assignments, done individually. These typically involve problems from the textbook.

Exams

There will be two exams, a midterm and a final. The tests come from the class lecture material.

Collaboration Policy

Collaboration is encouraged. This means that you may discuss approaches to solving problems with anyone in the class, including the professor and the graders. However, COPYING solutions from any source (person or book) is DISALLOWED. All students are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the Harvey Mudd Honor Code. If you have any questions about what is appropriate or inappropriate collaboration, please talk to me.

Web Page

Obviously, you should check the Web page regularly. Your primary source of timely information is the class calendar. Changes to the calendar page will NOT be announced via e-mail; it is your responsibility to keep an eye on it.

Major changes to other Web pages will be announced to the class mailing list.

Accessibility

HMC is committed to providing an inclusive learning environment and support for all students. As we return back to in-person instruction, we recognize that the challenges facing students may be different and student accommodation needs may change. Students with a disability (including mental health, chronic or temporary medical conditions) who may need accommodations in order to fully participate in this class are encouraged to contact the Office of Accessible Education at access@g.hmc.edu to request accommodations. Students from the other Claremont Colleges should contact their home college's Accessible Education officer.

This page is maintained by Geoff Kuenning.