Basics of Computer Architecture

Summary

This lecture introduces computer architecture, detailing its two components: instruction set architecture (ISA) and hardware system architecture (HSA). The ISA defines how machine language interacts with a computer, while HSA involves hardware subsystems like CPU, storage, and I/O. The lecture distinguishes architecture from implementation, noting that while architecture doesn't dictate implementation, they influence each other. It also touches on the history of computing, highlighting the contributions of Charles Babbage, Ada Lovelace, Alan Turing, and John von Neumann, whose work laid the foundation for modern computer architecture.

Takeaways

• 💻 The lecture introduces computer architecture, which encompasses the design of computers, including instructions, hardware components, and system organization.
• 📚 Computer architecture is divided into two parts: Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) and Hardware System Architecture (HSA).
• 🔍 ISA involves the specifications for how machine language programs interact with the computer, while HSA deals with the major hardware subsystems and their logical design and data flow.
• 📈 The lecture uses an example of adding two values and storing the result to illustrate how different hardware can perform the same operation, highlighting the concept of ISA.
• 🏛️ The architecture of a computer is distinct from its implementation, which involves the physical realization of the computer in hardware.
• 🏛️ Implementation includes choices of technology, speed, cost, etc., and influences the architecture but is not defined by it.
• 👨‍💻 Computers with the same ISA belong to the same family and can run the same kind of programs.
• 📚 The lecture provides a brief history of computer architecture, mentioning the analytical engine by Charles Babbage and Lady Ada Lovelace's contributions.
• 👨‍🔬 Alan Turing's work on computability and non-computability is highlighted, establishing him as a foundational figure in computer science and artificial intelligence.
• 🧠 John von Neumann's contributions are discussed, including his role in shaping the von Neumann architecture, which is the basis for modern computer design.
• 🎓 The lecture concludes with a quote from Professor David Brailsford, emphasizing von Neumann's significant impact on the field of computing.

Q & A

What is the formal definition of computer architecture?

Computer architecture is the design of computers, including their instructions, hardware components, and system organization.

What are the two main parts of computer architecture?

The two main parts of computer architecture are the Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) and the Hardware System Architecture (HSA).

What does the Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) include?

The ISA includes the specification that determines how machine language programs will interact with the computer.

What is the role of Hardware System Architecture (HSA) in computer design?

HSA deals with the computer's major hardware subsystems like CPU, storage, input/output, and includes both the logical design and the data flow organization of the subsystems.

How does the choice of architecture affect the implementation of a computer?

The architecture influences the choice of technology, speed, cost, and other factors in the implementation of a computer, but it does not define the implementation itself.

What is the significance of the analytical engine in the history of computer architecture?

The analytical engine, designed by Charles Babbage, is considered the great-great-great ancestor of modern computing devices and was the first proposed mechanical general-purpose computer.

Who is credited with the concept of a language to operate a computer?

Lady Ada Lovelace is credited with the concept of a language to operate a computer, making her the first computer programmer.

What is Alan Turing's contribution to the field of computer science?

Alan Turing is considered the father of computer science and artificial intelligence, as he figured out which problems can be solved using computers.

Who is John von Neumann, and how is he associated with computer architecture?

John von Neumann was a Hungarian genius and mathematician who is associated with the von Neumann architecture, a typical block diagram of a computer that includes a central processing unit, memory, and input/output mechanisms.

What is the difference between a computer's architecture and its implementation?

A computer's architecture refers to its design and organization, while its implementation is the realization of that design in hardware, including the choice of technology, speed, cost, etc.

Why is it important to distinguish between a computer's architecture and its implementation?

Distinguishing between architecture and implementation is important because computers with the same ISA can run the same kind of programs and belong to the same family, regardless of their specific hardware implementations.