Computer Organization
and Basic Concept of a System and Compiler Basics
SWEBOK Ch. 13 Sections 8, 9, & 10
8. Basic Concept of a System
8.1. Emergent System Properties
8.2. Systems Engineering
8.3. Overview of a Computer System
Overview of a Computer System
Introduction to the "von Neumann model" (more below)
Speccy - program to get the specifications of your system
PortableApps - can be installed without admin rights
There is a program already built into MacOS like Speccy in "About This Mac" > "System Report"
Memory / RAM
Crucial - tool for analyzing your system memory for upgrade
Hard drive
How a Hard Disk Drive Works Seagate Technology (7:22)
How do hard drives work? TED-Ed
CPU
CPU Benchmarks - processor comparisons
Build vs Buy
An ad for a modern computer - Slickdeals
Learn more / Certification
Microsoft Digital Literacy curriculum and certification
CompTIA A+ - respected hardware and software certification
Prof. Messer - certification exam preparation
Paths - alignment of certifications and careers
Academic Store - discount vouchers with edu email address
9. Computer Organization
9.1. Computer Organization Overview
9.2. Digital Systems
9.3. Digital Logic
9.4. Computer Expression of Data
9.5. The Central Processing Unit (CPU)
9.6. Memory System Organization
9.7. Input and Output (I/O)
Gate A device that performs a basic operation on electrical signals, accepting one or more input signals and producing a single output signal
Circuit A combination of interacting gates designed to accomplish a specific logical function
Create working circuits Logic.ly
Logic diagram A graphical representation of a circuit; each type of gate has its own symbol
Review of NOT, AND, OR
Logic Gate Simulator with descriptions of NOT, AND, NAND, OR, NOR, XOR
Transistor A device that acts either as a wire or a resistor, depending on the voltage level of an input signal (like a switch)
Truth table A table showing all possible input values and the associated output values - Truth Tables
NOT ¬A
AND A ∧ B
OR A ∨ B
IF (material conditional) A => B
Other Truth Tables
Number systems
Binary numbers are usually grouped with 8 digits, oct with 3, and hex with 4, using leading 0s when necessary.
All number systems could be denoted using a subscript at the end. Hex is often written with a 0x at the beginning. Oct is often written with a 0o at the beginning.
10. Compiler Basics
10.1. Compiler/Interpreter Overview
10.2. Interpretation and Compilation
10.3. The Compilation Process
Review of von Neumann architecture
memory - for storing instructions and data
central processing unit - for arithmetic and logical operations
the control unit - for sequencing and interpreting instructions
input - for getting external information into the memory
output - for producing results for the user
Super Simple CPU (in Canvas)
Opcode - first four bits, instructions
LDI (immediate, operand is data)
LOD (direct, operand is address of data)
Operand - next 12 bits, different things based on opcode
Compiled Versus Interpreted Languages freecodecamp
