ICS 312 Spring 2025

Readings "Passive" learning opportunities

This page collects together all of the “readings” associated with individual modules.

In this site, readings represent “passive” learning opportunities, as opposed to experiences, which represent “active” learning opportunities. In many courses, readings and experiences together constitute the “assignments”.

Module: Getting Started

Guided tour of Morea course websites

About Morea

Screencast 4 min

Syllabus

Detailed syllabus for this course

Syllabus

Getting Started

Course objectives, logistics, administrivia

Lecture notes

The Linux command-line

A set of pointers to material about the Linux command-line

Lecture notes Tutorials Games

Module: Integers & Computers

Background/Review on Integers and Bases

Bases, decimal, binary, hexadecimal, conversions, arithmetic

Lecture notes Rading: PCASM 1.1, 2.1.1

Screencast: Background/Review on Integers and Bases

19-minute Screencast On Laulima View by 1/16 before class

Representation of Integers

2’s complement

Lecture notes Reading: PCASM 1.1, 2.1.1

Screencast: Representation of Integers

34-minute Screencast On Laulima View by 1/16 before class

Integers and their Representation (In-class practice)

2’s complement

In-class practice examples Lecture notes

Module: Computer Architecture

History

Quick history of computers

Lecture notes

Architecture

Computer archicture, assembly, assembler, compiler

Lecture notes Reading: PCASM 1.2.1, 1.2.2

Module: X86 & NASM

NASM Manual

Manual

X86

x86 history, basics, and registers

Lecture notes Reading: PCASM 1.2.3, 1.2.4, 1.2.5

Introduction to NASM's data and bss segments

Initializing bytes in NASM

Lecture notes Reading: PCASM 1.3.5

Screencast: Introduction to NASM's data and bss segments (PART 1)

18-minute screencast Laulima View by TBD before class

Screencast: Introduction to NASM's data and bss segments (PART 2)

17-min screencast On Laulima View by TBD before class

NASM's data and bss segments practice and some instructions

Data segment practice and first assembly instructions

Lecture notes Reading: PCASM 1.3.5

Module: First NASM Program

NASM first program

PCASM, Sections 1.3.6-1.3.7, 1.4, 1.5

Lecture notes Textbook reading

Sample source code

Source code

NASM how to

A quick guide to using NASM in this course via an example

Instructions

Module: Data Size & Arithmetic

Modifying Data Sizes (Casting)

Understanding casting in high-level language / data sizes in assembly

Lecture notes PCASM 2.1.2

Arithmetic

Performing arithmetic operations in assembly

Lecture notes PCASM 2.1.3

Sample source code

asm code

Module: Control Structures

Jumps and Branches

Using jump and branch instructions in assembly (PCASM Section 2.2)

Lecture notes Textbook reading

Control Structures

Implementing high-level control structures in assembly (PCASM Section 2.3)

Lecture notes Textbook reading

Sample source code

asm code

Disassembling code with NASM

Source code Instructions

Module: Bit Operations

Bit Shifts

Using shift instructions in assembly (PCASM Section 2.1)

Lecture notes Textbook reading

Bitmasks

Using bitmasks with bit operations (PCASM Sections 3.2, 3.3, 3.4)

Lecture notes Textbook reading

Sample source code

asm code

Module: Midterm

Midterm Review

Lecture notes

Module: Subprograms

Subprograms 101

Introduction to subprograms in assembly (PCASM Sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4)

Lecture notes Textbook reading

Subprogram Arguments

Implementing programs that take arguments in assembly (PCASM Sections 4.5.1)

Lecture notes Textbook reading

Subprogram Local Variables

Implementing subprograms with local variables in assembly (PCASM Sections 4.5.2)

Lecture notes Textbook reading

Sample source code

Source code

Buffer Overflow

The buffer overflow code vulnerability due to stack corruption

Lecture notes Textbook reading

Module: Compiling

Compiler Overview

The big picture of what a compiler is and does

Lecture notes

Lexing

How a compiler (can) perform lexical analysis

Lecture notes

Installing ANTLR

A guide to installing and testing ANTLR

Instructions

A Simple ANTLR lexer

A example of using ANTLR to implement a simple parser

Source code Instructions

Parsing

A description of how a compiler (can) perform syntactic analysis

Lecture Notes

A simple ANTLR parser

A example of using ANTLR to implement a simple parse

Source code Instructions

Code Generation

How compilers (can) generate code

Lecture Notes

A simple ANTLR compiler

A example of using ANTLR to implement a simple compiler

Source code Instructions

Code Optimization

How compilers (can) optimize code

Lecture Notes

The Amazing Compiler Explorer

Watch live how a compiler compiles your code

Web site