BU208 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Nibble
Document Summary
A computer is a thing , a real, physical thing and not just a virtual idea. Its made of metal, plastic and other things. Might have been bought at a hardware store. *most important thing is the cpu (central processing unit) wouldn"t be a computer without this: circuits, cells, can preform functions, storage areas, main thing , some may have more than 1, specialized cpu"s. A computer can only do one thing (as in functionality) = add/multiplication: subtraction is moving around different numbers, division is similar to addition. Rom = read only memory: cannot change, comes with info inside. Boot (why its called) = instructions are so simple; you pick up yourself by your boots straps metaphor: very short program, start operating system. Building a computer by number - bus: address bus, data bus. Clock - wanting to control sequence of stuff, computer needs a beat: sends pulses, every time a pulse sends a thing in the computer clicks.
