Computation Structures

by Stephen A. Ward, Robert H Halstead

"Computation Structures" integrates thorough coverage of digital logic design with a comprehensive presentation of computer architecture. It contains a wealth of information for anyone who designs computers or works with computer systems. Indeed, the authors' goal is to teach people to look at systems, as a whole, without being bound by the artificial interfaces that are often used to train specialist engineers. Ward and Halstead demystify the construction of computing hardware by illustrating how it is built up from digital circuits through higher-level components to processors and memories and emphasizing how the design of hardware is affected by its intended use. The book is firmly based in the real world, with pertinent discussions of the many trade-off decisions practicing engineers must confront. Throughout the book, the authors use the running example of the MAYBE computer--a simple microarchitecture that readers can construct and operate--to establish connections between theory and real-world practice.

Among the topics addressed are the digital abstracts; combinatorial devices and circuits; the synthesis of digital systems; finite-state machines; control structures and disciplines; performance measures and trade-offs; communication; interpretation; microinterpreter architectures; microprogramming; single-sequence machines; stack, register, and memory architectures; RISC machines; processes; interrupts and priorities; and architectural horizons.

Genres: Computer Science, Technical, Science, Textbooks

Unknown Binding

First published December 13, 1989

Reviews

[Nick Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another one I picked up in the rush to figure out VLSI before my multicore architecture class has its midterm, this seeming sister volume to the epic classic Introduction to Algorithms by Cormen, Rivest and Leiserson of MIT (they used the same LaTeX templates if nothing else) is thus far one of the best introduction-to-broad-advanced-topics I've seen, and it'll occupy a place of high honor on my shelves. The first five chapters, building up to the basic digital abstraction (that of logic gates) from the basics of circuit physics, were a tour de force providing me an immediate firmament. A longstanding gap in my education (and that, I suspect, of many computer scientists) -- despite a strong amateur study of physics, nonetheless! -- has been filled, and I thank Mssrs. Ward and Halstead for that. The final (21st) chapter is a wonderful coverage of paradigms contrasting the von Neumann model, a list I'd built up mentally only through numerous diverse sources. I'm still skipping around, but highly recommended.

(With apologies to Mike Alberghini, who last night claimed I'm turning GoodReads into my own Nigerian spam channel.)

[DJ]

primer on computer architectures

[Rebecca Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Page turner!