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CS 631-01 Systems Foundations — Meeting Summary

  • Date: January 27, 2026
  • Time: 09:01 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
  • Meeting ID: 870 0988 0761

Quick Recap

In the first lecture, Professor Greg introduced the course on system software and computer architecture, emphasizing a dual focus on C and Rust. He noted that C underpins much of today’s system software, while Rust addresses important safety and reliability limitations and is rapidly gaining industry adoption.

He outlined the course structure—labs and projects with defined deadlines—and stressed the importance of practical experience in both languages. He encouraged students to use coding agents such as ChatGPT and Claude Code to enhance learning, while balancing those tools with hands-on practice and developing domain expertise.

The session concluded with setup instructions for development environments, including SSH access to Beagle machines and RISC-V emulated environments, along with guidance to begin engaging with course materials before the next session on Thursday.

Next Steps

For All Students

  • Review the in-class repository examples for C and Rust.
  • Read the provided lecture notes, especially the development environments section.
  • Set up SSH access to the Beagle machines; confirm successful SSH login by Thursday.
  • Obtain a Claude Code subscription and begin using it for coursework.
  • Work toward running code on the Beagle (RISC-V) machines as described in the notes.
  • Plan to spend 15+ hours per week on course material.

For Professor Greg

  • Publish the updated course website once DNS is configured and post an announcement when it is live.
  • Provide links to useful Claude code mini-lessons.
  • Create a version of the starter code without educational comments.

Summary

Class Assignment Structure Overview

  • No exams; all assessments are labs or projects.
  • Labs: lighter-weight, include starter code, submitted via GitHub by midnight.
  • Projects: more substantial, with a one-week grace period for late submissions.
  • Weekly cadence: assignments are due every week.
  • The first lab is available for students to begin immediately.

System Software Course Overview

  • Focus on the implementation and design of operating systems and related system software.
  • Topics include OS kernels, assembly language, compilers, and interpreters.
  • Introduction to RISC-V, an open-source processor architecture.
  • Students will build a machine code emulator and explore digital design concepts to understand processor implementation at the hardware level.

Practical OS Course Overview

  • Emphasis on practical, hands-on experience over purely theoretical coverage.
  • Concurrent instruction in C and Rust; Professor Greg is an expert in C and a beginner in Rust.
  • Tooling guidance: use terminal editors such as Micro, VS Code, or Vim; Nano is not allowed.

C Language’s Enduring Impact

  • C remains foundational across the software industry, underpinning operating systems, compilers, and network infrastructure.
  • Even when not writing C directly, developers rely on systems built with C.
  • Language ecosystems evolve over generations (e.g., growth of Python alongside modern tooling and AI), but C’s influence persists.

Systems Programming Course Overview

  • Mastery of systems programming languages—particularly C and Rust—is critical in modern computer science.
  • C is powerful but unsafe; Rust mitigates many of C’s flaws and is increasingly valued in the job market.
  • The course provides starter code and examples for both languages and encourages the use of coding agents (e.g., Cloud Code, ChatGPT) to accelerate learning.
  • Students are urged to combine these tools with rigorous hands-on practice and engagement with course materials to build a strong foundation before the next lecture.