Please note: Offering a joint course like this presents an exceptional opportunity for both Berkeley and Stanford, but it is logistically complicated, and requires effort and commitment on the part of the students as well as the instructors.  Thanks for your help in making it happen.

• What are the prerequisites?
  Strong grounding in at least some of the following: systems/distributed systems, architecture, software engineering, theory (including compilers, languages, etc), HCI/design.
• What readings/textbook?
  No textbook; readings from the conference/journal literature and scientific press, focusing on why/how systems fail and approaches to dealing with it.  This will include "traditional" fault tolerance, design-for-correctness, design-for-recovery, accounting for the role of human error and the influence of the human interface, and others.
• Berkeley's semester calendar doesn't match up with Stanford's quarter-based calendar.
  Correct.  The course will be run (this time) on Berkeley's calendar.  We will start on either Aug. 30 or Sep. 6 (to be announced the week of 8/20).  Note that Stanford students register for 4 units, reflecting the additional time commitment.
• How important is attendance and participation in the discussion?
  Since the course meets only once a week, attendance and participation are very important.  Discuss exceptions with one of the instructors.
• Can I register for fewer units (or pass/fail, or whatever) and only attend during Stanford's quarter?
  No.
• Is the project a required part of the course?  Can I take the course for fewer units without a project?
  The project is integral to the course and all students must complete a project.  See the specific project requirements for more details.
• Are auditors/spectators allowed?
  If you want to attend one or two sessions as a spectator and participant, email Dave or Armando to let them know; if you want to attend more than a few sessions, you must register for credit.  Non-credit attendees will be accommodated on the bus on a space-available basis only.