Inferno

Axel-Tobias Schreiner, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Osnabrück, Germany.

An introduction to use, architecture, and programming of the new network operating system from Lucent's Bell Labs.

Lecture notes for a course at Rochester Institute of Technology, spring quarter 1998. Based on German lecture notes. Based on the evaluation version 1.0 of Inferno.

Available Directories

code	programming examples used in class
ftp	archives and references
guide	Inferno User's Guide (Portable Document Format)
html	overheads used in class (HTML), first page
limbo	The Limbo Programming Language (HTML, some sections)
man	Inferno Reference (HTML), first page
pdf	overheads used in class (Portable Document Format), first page
problems	weekly assignments
web	books and papers from Lucent Technologies and RSA Laboratories.

Local Availability of Inferno

The evaluation version 1.0 of Inferno is in /usr/local/inferno. It is probably best to create links to it as described in class.

Inferno 2.0 primarily adds Java; however, this is only available with the native system. There are some smaller differences (pipe device, exception adt, more commands, more security) and (hopefully) some bug fixes but Inferno 1.0 is quite suitable for introductory purposes.

Dates 1998

Lectures	Monday, 17:00-18:50	room 09-1159
Office Hours	Tuesday, Thursday, 14:00-16:00	room 10-A192	Schreiner, phone 475-7459

(Planned) Calendar 1998

March	9	introduction, installations, architecture
	16	homework, namespaces, kernel servers
	23	homework, Styx, user servers, Limbo: introduction
	30	homework, Limbo: abstract datatypes
April	6	[no attendance]
	13	homework, system calls and threads
	20	homework, threads and channels
	27	homework, Adam Fletcher on TK graphics, Limbo and yacc
May	4	homework, sl language, ramfs server in Limbo
	11	homework, Matt Zimmerman on security
	14	Dave Klint on the db module [10:00, my office]

Grading Policy

This is a short operating system and programming course. Inferno contains concepts from Plan 9 which are significantly different from Unix; Limbo is a small but powerful programming language. The schedule is tight; you will have to dig into documentation and some books as well as do some programming on your own to succeed.

Half of your grade will be based on weekly assignments (mostly programming), the other half on a presentation.

Assignments and solutions are posted as indicated above. Assignments must be turned in to me by e-mail before 16:00 on the due date. I'll acknowledge receipt in class. Don't slide papers under my door, don't turn e-mail in late or more than once, and don't copy from others. Incomprehensible code will be considered wrong.