Watch, Read, and Reflect

First, Watch

For all intents and purposes, this video captures the beginning of time as far as the study of operating systems is concerned.

 

Then, Read

The UNIX Time Sharing System was written around the time this video was recorded; it will capture some of the same information, but present it in another way.

If it feels redundant, rest comfortably knowing that operating systems have not, fundamentally, changed. Therefore, getting the structure of UNIX in your head early (or generating questions about the UNIX operating system) will serve you well.

Then, Reflect

You should come to class prepared in several ways:

• [Content] Make sure you've developed an outline in your notebook regarding the structure of the UNIX operating system as presented.

• [Questions] There are many kinds of questions. You might have content and clarification questions: there might be things you didn't understand or see the importance of as you watched and read. Or, you might have speculative questions: the paper was written in 1974, and things may have changed since then.

• [Desire] Hopefully, the video and reading will spark some interest; that is, there might be things that you know you want to spend time investigating further. What do you want from the course? What, of the topics discussed in the video and paper look most interesting to you? While many things have changed, the fundamentals (resource management, multitasking and concurrency issues, etc.) have not gone away in the intervening 39 years.

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