A portable thread API for teaching operating systems

  • Authors:

  • Jeffrey D. Martens

  • Affiliations:

  • Hood College 401 Rosemont Ave Frederick, MD

  • Venue:
  • Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges
  • Year:
  • 2003

Quantified Score

Hi-index 0.00

Visualization

Abstract

When teaching a course that includes programming assignments, it can be expedient to allow students a choice in programming language and operating systems, e.g. Java or C++, Windows or Linux, etc. In addition to saving classroom time, this allows the student to focus on the problem at hand, as opposed to an unfamiliar environment or language. To support such flexibility in an introductory OS course, I provide C++ programmers with a Java-like thread API and semaphore and pipe classes, all of which work under both Linux or Windows. Similarly, I supply semaphore and pipe classes for Java programmers. The result is that students in all three camps are using the same APIs and terminology, which greatly facilitates class discussion.