Modern Operating Systems [Hardcover]

Readers familiar with Tanenbaum's previous text, Operating Systems, know the author is a great proponent of simple design and hands-on experimentation. His earlier book came bundled with the source code for an operating system called Minux, a simple variant of Unix and the platform used by Linus Torvalds to develop Linux. Although this book does not come with any source code, he illustrates many of his points with code fragments (C, usually with Unix system calls).

The first half of Modern Operating Systems focuses on traditional operating systems concepts: processes, deadlocks, memory management, I/O, and file systems. There is nothing ground-breaking in these early chapters, but all topics are well covered, each including sections on current research and a set of student problems. It is the second half of the book that differentiates itself from older operating systems texts. Here, each chapter describes an element of what constitutes a modern operating system--awareness of multimedia applications, multiple processors, computer networks, and a high level of security. The chapter on multimedia functionality focuses on such features as handling massive files and providing video-on-demand. Included in the discussion on multiprocessor platforms are clustered computers and distributed computing. Finally, the importance of security is discussed--a lively enumeration of the scores of ways operating systems can be vulnerable to attack, from password security to computer viruses and Internet worms.

Included at the end of the book are case studies of two popular operating systems: Unix/Linux and Windows 2000. There is a bias toward the Unix/Linux approach, not surprising given the author's experience and academic bent, but this bias does not detract from Tanenbaum's analysis. Both operating systems are dissected, describing how each implements processes, file systems, memory management, and other operating system fundamentals.

Tanenbaum's mantra is a simple, accessible operating system design. Given that modern operating systems have extensive features, he is forced to reconcile physical size with simplicity. Towards this end, he makes frequent references to the Frederick Brooks classic The Mythical Man Month for wisdom on managing large, complex software development projects. He finds both Windows 2000 and Unix/Linux guilty of being too complicated--with a particular skewering of Windows 2000 and its "mammoth Win32 API". A primary culprit is the attempt to make operating systems more "user-friendly," which Tanenbaum views as an excuse for bloated code. The solution is to have smart people, the smallest possible team, and well-defined interactions between various operating systems components. Future operating system design will benefit if the advice in this book is taken to heart. --Pete Ostenson

Features and Benefits

NEW -New chapters- On computer security; multimedia operating systems; Windows 2000; and operating system design. -Brings students up to date with in-depth coverage of todays most important and timely topics. NEW- Now includes coverage- Fair share scheduling, graphical user interfaces, X Windows, new I/O devices (RAID, CD-R, DVD etc.), CD-ROM file systems, network terminals, power management, viruses and antivirus techniques, disk formatting, soft timers, trusted systems, and middleware. NEW- Greatly expanded coverage- Process management, threads, and computer security. NEW- Research sections- Includes numerous references to current literature about most chapter topics. - Introduces students to the latest research on processes, memory management, and other topics. NEW- Exclusive focus on traditional single-processor computer systems. -Allows instructors to focus their course on single-processor systems and teach distributed systems using Tanenbaums forthcoming Distribued Systems- Principles and Paradigms in a follow-up course, reflecting the curricula at many schools. "Big picture" concepts and many technical details presented in a clear and entertaining style as only Andy Tanenbaum can do. -Helps students easily learn the foundations of operating systems and how things really work. Website with simulators supporting a variety of hands-on student projects. -Students learn by doing. Many new problems and up-to-date references-Reflect real-world experience. -Provides students with practical, hands-on information in constructing and understanding modern operating systems.