Computer Science 2208A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Microarchitecture, Distributed Memory, Computer Architecture

• School: Western University
• Department: Computer Science
• Course: Computer Science 2208A/B
• Professor: Mahmoud El- Sakka

Document Summary

Each processor has its own assembly language. A (cid:272)o(cid:373)puter is (cid:272)hara(cid:272)terized (cid:271)y its i(cid:374)stru(cid:272)tio(cid:374) set ar(cid:272)hite(cid:272)ture (cid:894)isa(cid:895), a(cid:374) a(cid:271)stra(cid:272)t e(cid:374)tity that does(cid:374)"t consider the specific design or implementation of a computer. Isa is composed of three parts: register"s set, i(cid:374)structio(cid:374) set, a(cid:374)d addressi(cid:374)g (cid:373)odes. Registers are the fastest kind of memory and are located in the cpu. The instruction sets are instructions to be performed on the registers. An isa defines the model of a computer from the programmer view point. There are two: traditional sequential computer model (such as von neumann model). This uses a single processor: parallel computer model (reflecting different ways of processors interconnection based on shared memory, distributed memory with message passing, or a hybrid of the two). One that runs only using gears and another that runs on battery. These are two different organizations for a watch. Computer manufacturers regularly modify the organization of a processor while keeping its isa essentially constant.