Page 27 -

4 CHAPTER 0 / READER’S GUIDE

architecture must cooperate with the operating system and system
software. It is difficult to design an operating system well without
knowledge of the underlying architecture. Moreover, the computer
designer must have an understanding of software in order to imple-
ment the optimum architecture.
The computer architecture curriculum has to achieve multi-
ple objectives. It must provide an overview of computer architec-
ture and teach students the operation of a typical computing
machine. It must cover basic principles, while acknowledging the
complexity of existing commercial systems. Ideally, it should rein-
force topics that are common to other areas of computer engineer-
ing; for example, teaching register indirect addressing reinforces
the concept of pointers in C. Finally, students must understand how
various peripheral devices interact with, and how they are inter-
faced to a CPU.

[CLEM00] gives the following examples as reasons for studying computer
architecture:
1. Suppose a graduate enters the industry and is asked to select the most cost-
effective computer for use throughout a large organization.An understanding
of the implications of spending more for various alternatives, such as a larger
cache or a higher processor clock rate, is essential to making the decision.
2. Many processors are not used in PCs or servers but in embedded systems.A de-
signer may program a processor in C that is embedded in some real-time or
larger system,such as an intelligent automobile electronics controller.Debugging
the system may require the use of a logic analyzer that displays the relationship
between interrupt requests from engine sensors and machine-level code.
3. Concepts used in computer architecture find application in other courses. In
particular, the way in which the computer provides architectural support for
programming languages and operating system facilities reinforces concepts
from those areas.
As can be seen by perusing the table of contents of this book, computer orga-
nization and architecture encompasses a broad range of design issues and concepts.
A good overall understanding of these concepts will be useful both in other areas of
study and in future work after graduation.

0.4 INTERNET AND WEB RESOURCES

There are a number of resources available on the Internet and the Web that support
this book and help readers keep up with developments in this field.
Web Sites for This Book

There is a Web page for this book at WilliamStallings.com/COA/COA8e.html. See the
layout at the beginning of this book for a detailed description of that site.