Operating Systems: A Design-Oriented Approach

By Charles Crowley

Book Overview

This text provides coverage of all the basic systems concepts and shows how they evolved to their present forms. Basic code is presented for the important parts of the operating system, as well as references to design tools, keys to designing and implementing operating system data structures and software engineering rules of thumb. The approach is generallly oriented towards UNIX operating systems but in each section the author discusses how the conepts are implemented in several major operating systems. An emulator is available to allow students and insructors to run the code implementing the operating system.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0256151512
• ISBN13: 9780256151510
• Release Date: November 1996
• Publisher: Richard d Irwin
• Length: 896 Pages
• Weight: 3.41 lbs.
• Dimensions: 10.0" x 1.8" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

|| MUST READ for those who enjoy Computer Science||

I once wanted to write my own Operating System (OS) and all I could do is writing a boot loader that would show one line welcome message. I did not finish the entire book and yet wanted to speak for this book because it created a new genre of computer science books. There are plenty of books on OS and most of them will give you definitive information on the building blocks of an OS. But none of them will tell you why you need those building blocks, can you live without them and more importantly - should OS be defined based on its implementation such as UNIX, WINDOWS etc.! There is a complete different perspective this book would give you in terms of OS and in terms of anything you learn:-). Those who want to write an OS, learn OS with passion and for authors who would like to make an impact on readers this book is a gem.

One of the best Design books written: not just an OS book

I have read many books on operating system implementation and also worked on building a few UNIX based operating systems. With that background, I have to say that this is one of the best design books available in Computer Science, and not just the in the field of operating systems. It took me a few years to appreciate the fine art of "designing" things. Once I did learn to appreciate it, I always wondered why the notion of design was not introduced earlier in my education. This book by Charles Crowley is just what was needed. This book is exemplary in its approach and most importantly, in its execution. One can go and figure out OS implementation details in many books (Vahalia, Maurice Bach, Linux Internals books, etc) and I am sure one can even grab some code from the books and compile it and use it right away. But, that is not the intent of this book. The intent is to teach design to an operating systems student (beginner or experienced) and design is a true skill for an engineer. The pseudo code is meant to be read and understood, and not copied and used. The author is a true educator and his doing this is proof of it. The one thing that surprises me is: why did this book not become more famous that some other utterly useless UNIX internals books?? I do not know, but I am sure the reasons are not technical. This is an excellent book for systems software engineers.

if you have a plan to make your own OS...

There are so many books to explain OS principle.this book is not for OS beginner but OS designer!I think that any person who is interested in OS design cannot find better than this book for this issue.Of course, the codes in this book are not directly runned. But I think that it was best choice to explain general concepts and if you are experienced kernel engineer, I believe that you may agree with me.

a good book ---- not only in OS but also in software Design

(1)it is very clear(2)its depth(3)its different approach to the content

clear exposition

I have over twenty operating system books and I think that this is one of the best. I am still puzzled to why there have not been more reviews about this book.This is the clearest view of the subject that I have encountered.