Product Description

Designed especially for undergraduates in computer-related disciplines, with emphasis to support the compiler, operating system, and networking courses.

For a first course in computer architecture or computer organization. This text covers computer architecture at the instruction set architecture (ISA) and system design levels. Starting with foundation material on data representation and computer arithmetic, the book moves through the basic components of a computer architecture, covering topics at increasing levels of complexity up through CISC, network architecture, and parallel architecture. The authors have adopted the use of a SPARC-subset for an instructional ISA called “ARC” (A RISC Computer), which is carried through the mainstream of the book, and is complemented with platform-independent software tools that simulate the ARC ISA as well as the MIPS and x86 (Pentium) ISAs.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #893869 in Books
• Published on: 2000-05-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 640 pages

From the Back Cover

This piece covers computer architecture at the instruction set architecture (ISA) and system design levels. Starting with foundation material on data representation and computer arithmetic, the book moves through the basic components of a computer architecture, covering topics at increasing levels of complexity up through CISC, network architecture, and parallel architecture. The authors have adopted the use of a SPARC-subset for an instructional ISA called "ARC" (A RISC Computer), which is carried through the mainstream of the book, and is complemented with platform-independent software tools that simulate the ARC ISA as well as the MIPS and x86 (Pentium) ISAs.

FEATURES/BENEFITS

• Choice of the instruction set architecture (ISA).
  • The mainstream ISA "ARC" is a subset of the commercial SPARC, which strikes a balance between the complexity of a real-world architecture and the need for a simple instructional ISA.
• Companion Website http://www.prenhall.com/murdocca
• Software available on Companion Website.
  • Assembles and simulates program execution on SPARC-subset (ARC), MIPS, and Intel ISAs. Simulators and assemblers run an PCs, Macs, and Unix.
• Over 400 Adobe Acrobat slides
  • Simplify lecture preparation.
• Password-protected area of Companion Website.
• Case studies.
• Over 200 homework problems.
• The major portion of the text deals with a high level look at computer architecture, while the appendices and case studies cover lower level, technology-dependent aspects.
  • Allows computer architecture to be studied at all levels.

Customer Reviews

Stacks of information, if you can get your head around it.
The book contains piles of valuable information for anyone who is interested in the nitty gritty of computer systems. Detailing hardware architecture and connection, binary maths and the concepts of what is really going on when you boot up. I found the text a little hard to get my head around, though it was not too wordy. I would recommend not using this as an only source, as basic concept texts may have uses alongside this extensive work.