Homework 02: Chapter 2 Questions

Due: Tuesday, January 24th by 5:59 PM
Assignment ID: hwk02

Header

Please put the following at the top of a flat text file, hwk02.txt:

Homework Questions

Write the answers to the following questions in hwk02.txt:
  1. Describe the steps necessary for a user program to access hardware (e.g., keyboard, screen, files on disk) on a modern OS?
  2. Name three or more services that an OS provides.
  3. What is a drawback of having the command-line interpreter itself contain the code to execute supplied commands (as opposed to mainly system programs)?
  4. Name a functionality that a service call provides.
  5. Name a functionality provided by a system program.
  6. Name at least one advantage of a layered approach to an operating system.
  7. Name at least one disadvantage of a layered approach to an operating system.
  8. What is a microkernel?
  9. When would you want to have one or more virtualized machines?

Submission

Submit hwk02.txt using the handin program. For example, for this homework, type the following in a terminal exactly as it appears: 
  handin  hwk02  hwk02.txt

Alternatively, you can submit the assignment from any computer via PeerSpace. After successfully logging into PeerSpace, go to Tools, then Assignments. Click on the Submit link.