CIS241

System-Level Programming and Utilities

Introduction

Erik Fredericks, frederer@gvsu.edu
Fall 2025

Based on material provided by Erin Carrier and Austin Ferguson

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(hello there)

The Plan - Today (approximately)

  • Welcome!
  • Introductions!
  • Adminstrata!
  • Touching keyboards!
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The Plan - Coursewise (approximately)

First half: Linux
Second half: C
Throughout: Git (GitHub)

  • Though mainly after an intro to Linux...

top-right
bottom-right

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About me (or, the relevant things)

Office: MAK D2-235

Office Hours: MWF, 11am-12pm

Discord:

Join the #241 channel for async help

  • I'll also keep an eye on the CIS Discord as well
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Also

I've completely dumped Windows for Linux

  • Arch (EndeavorOS) at home
  • pop_os! (Debian) on this machine

Why?

Too much baggage to unpack without a therapist, but the Windows Recall thing was the final straw

What does this mean for me?

I don't have a Windows or a Mac to fix your issues for you...

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(help me)

Where can I get help?

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Lab environments

EOS is where all your assignments will be tested on, so make sure it works there before submitting anything

All material can be tested on your own computers

  • Windows: WSL!

  • Linux: Linux!

  • Mac: Also Linux!

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Syllabus Time

Important things:

Grading

  • Homework (Projects): 45%
  • Mini-assignments (Minilabs, typically ICx in BB): 25%
  • Midterm / Final Exams: 15% each
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Late Policy

Assignments are due on time.
You can turn it in up to three days late - it is 10% off each day and a 0 afterwards.

  • Including weekends
  • If there are extenuating circumstances talk to me early - if you ask me the night something is due I will most likely say no.
  • I am not going to be reminding you to submit anything - if you don't turn it in then it is up to you to manage the consequences.
  • I also tend to ignore my email/Discord the evening something is due - talk to me early
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AI Use

My preference is for you not to use it for this class. Try things first, watch how things break, fail often. Learn from your mistakes - that's how learning works.

However, I realize it can be helpful at times. I ask that you don't completely copy/paste what it gives you and that you understand how it is helping. Note that if I ask you to explain your code and you can't, then it becomes an academic misconduct violation.

If you become one of those coders in industry who can't function without an AI helper then you are pretty much useless. Use it to clarify things, not to do your job.

top-corner

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Hackers

The Bigger Picture

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The Bigger Picture (Linux edition)

Who cares?

  1. For one, think of how cool you'll look using the terminal in front of friends and family.

    • See previous slide

  2. Access remote systems

    • Web servers, high-performance computing environments, cloud systems, etc.

  3. Automate, automate, automate

    • Automate all the things (Windows included!)
      • Windows ... how?!?!!

top-right (tux)

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The Bigger Picture (C Edition)

top-right (c logo)

C is gross - shouldn't we be using Rust? Or Python or Java?!?!

  • Does anybody know why C still exists?
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The Bigger Picture (Git Edition)

top-right (git logo)

Does anybody know what git is?

  • Also, who created it?

GitHub is a website (owned by Microsoft, oddly), that serves as a remote repository for Git projects

  • You don't need GitHub to use git - you can host your own repositories locally
  • Or on a personal home server!

We'll be using GitHub for the duration of the class

  • Good habit to get into
  • Critical for industry ... why?
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Knowing the basics

Hardware vs. software

  • Software programs contain instructions to perform actions and make decisions that control the hardware
  • Software can be low-level (driver code) or high-level (applications)
  • Hardware includes keyboard, screen, hard disks, CPU

Operating system (OS): provides the connection between hardware and software

  • Ex: When you type a key on the keyboard, the OS accepts the input and sends the output to your monitor
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Some definitions

Native OS: the primary OS on a system

Virtual machine (VM): allowing non-native OSs to run on your machine

  • VMWare / VirtualBox: a software application that manages one or more virtual machines

Docker: creates a pre-packaged environment for applications to run on any machine

EOS: the lab you are in - remotely accessible!

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TODAY'S TASK --> SSHing to EOS

https://www.gvsu.edu/computing/remote-access-100.htm

  • You are remoting into the computers in this lab

    • gasp

  • SO DON'T TURN THEM OFF WHEN YOU LEAVE

  • This is important as you'll probably want the ability to work from home

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Remote Access

SSH - Secure Shell

What is a shell?

What shell am I using?

echo $0

$0 -- variable for the name of the shell

SSH is how you can access a remote shell

Try it! Or else! ... Or else what?!

  • Or else you won't be able to do your homework and pass the course!
  • ssh yourusername@eos01.cis.gvsu.edu
.

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show BB, IC1, website

* Note if you copy/paste answers from AI I will ask you to explain your solution!

show pop os login neofetch? sysadmin things - onboarding users (how do you think your eos accounts got created? probably a big script that runs LDAP stuff + account creation + permissions) minecraft server show clipper login show google cloud show convert-all script?

* Better memory management - you know exactly what is being used * Still used in embedded systems * More importantly - still the leader in safety-critical programming (e.g., automotive, flight) * show c-rl?

* show github profile * show github pages

draw out kernel vs hw vs software

* shell - program you interact with on the terminal * show part 1 of HW * try logging in * show exiting * curl weather: curl wttr.in/Grand%20Rapids or Allendale_MI * show WEB_FACULTY (WEB_STUDENTS)