Computer systems architecture

The practical exercises make use of Visual C Developer Studio, which is also used to introduce students to assembler programming, display the action of the Pentium Processor (using the debugger) and produce some elementary networking programs. Microsoft R Visual C R 6.0 Introductory Edition ENU Book Edition is packaged with the book.

Computer Systems Architecture is meant as a first year introduction to the subject for students in Computer Science and related courses.

Key Features

• Recognises that most computer systems work in a networked environment and includes an introduction to networking.
• Acknowledges that computers are now a routine experience for most students.
• Takes a traditional bottom-up presentation using applied technology and ideas.
• Treats digital logic in sufficient detail to remove the mystery of how computers work.
• Adopts a practical approach, not requiring advanced mathematics.
• Uses Microsoft's Visual Developer Studio debugger to provide a brief experience with assembly languageprogramming.
• Programming examples, exercises and worksheets drawn from common experience reinforce the text's practical approach.
• Includes Microsoft R Visual C R 6.0 introductory Edition ENU Book Edition.

Table of Contents

• 1. Introduction: The Hardware/Software Interface.
• 2. The von Neumann Inheritance.
• 3. Principal Functional Units and the Fetch-Execute Cycle.
• 4. Building Computers from Logic: The Control Unit.
• 5. Building Computers from Logic: The ALU.
• 6. Building Computers from Logic: The Memory.
• 7. The Intel Pentium CPU.
• 8. Subroutines.
• 9. Simple Input and Output.
• 10. Serial Communications.
• 11. Parallel Connections.
• 12. The Memory Hierarchy.

• II. Networking and Increased Complexity.
• 13. The Programmer's Viewpoint.
• 14. Local Area Networks.
• 15. Wide Area Networks.
• 16. Other Networks.
• 17. Introduction to Operating Systems.
• 18. Windows NT.
• 19. Filing Systems.
• 20. Visual Output.
• 21. RISC Architectures.
• 22. The Motorola MC68300 Microcontroller