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Understanding the Microprocessor
Citywide writes "Ars has a very thorough technical piece up entitled Understanding the Microprocessor. It's pitched lower than many Ars articles (all of which are a bit over my head, to be honest), but that's why it's worth checking out: it explains the fundamentals is a very clear and useful way. And as the author notes, this kind of information is really crucial to get a grip on before Hammer arrives."
The only information you'll need to know once Hammer has arrived is that it's the fastest thing on the planet, and the only mass-market 64-bit processor.
Oh yeah, and where to buy one. :-)
Galileo: "The Earth revolves around the Sun!"
Score: -1 100% Flamebait
Ok, I know that this probably doesnt jive with the majority of people who post here, however I'm not a tech person totally. I have my moments, but over all I'm just not. I'd like to get a better understanding of the inner workings of microprocessors from a laymans perspective... kind of like I'm in 4th grade. I feel like if I had that understanding I would better understand my machine, but this stuff is just too much for me...
2 definitions found
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Layman \Lay"man\n.; pl. {Laymen}. [Lay, adj. + man.]
1. One of the people, in distinction from the clergy; one of
the laity; sometimes, a man not belonging to some
particular profession, in distinction from those who do.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 [wn]:
layman
n : someone who is not a clergyman or a professional person
[syn: {layperson}] [ant: {clergyman}]
"If anyone needs me, I'm in the angry dome."
"It's pitched lower than many Ars articles (all of which are a bit over my head, to be honest)"
I used to feel the same way, but now that I have had several courses in this area, I find Ars's usual detail about right. (if they are still too low pitched you can always read the references) If your a person who understands this stuff, but doesn't want to spend the time reading the latest journals and conferences, Ars articles often provide a great way to stay up to date. Although they may not be accessable to some (I've been there). I hope this "lower pitch" doesn't become a trend.
This is quite possibly the best "intro to computers" on a high level that I've ever seen, and it even delves into some of the more specifics of CPU operation. Kudos to Ars...
However, I still don't see how this is relevant to Hammer, as the article doesn't even go into detail about different takes on architecture vis a vis Intel and AMD. There's a few links at the end to a discussion of the diffs in the G4e and the P4, but nothing on the AMD side.
[offtopic]
Personally, I'm getting wary of various AMD products. I continually see issues w/ AMD and games (the EQ debacle being one of them), I see general weirdness w/ my software on my Athlon, and it just reminds me of all the hideously weird incompatibilities I've had over the years (some that aren't even regularly reproduceable, maybe it's a bad mobo?), and it makes me recall a discussion w/ some of my friends:
"If you want it to run right, use Intel. Everyone, _everyone_ tests w/ Intel stuff first. From MS (yah, boo, whatever) to id, from nVidia to Creative Labs, everyone tests on Intel _first_."
I'm not trying to bash AMD, it's just that, well, every time I use an AMD system, I end up experiencing weird glitchy errors, that come and go as they please. While my Athlon setup has been orders of magnitude more stable than past AMD systems, it's still not the rock that my P3 was.
[/offtopic]
Except for those who may want to be in that position in the future, except for students who want to learn about it, except for children taking their first steps into becoming really good with computers. Except for ANYONE who doesn't want to be clueless about what's going on with something they bought, and why. ;)
I'm the big fish in the big pond bitch.
Now what exactly would a MISD(multiple instructions single data) system be?! And, can anyone point to an example of such a system?
They don't exist - just a theoretical fourth type to complete the set. Always in computer science courses, but none ever built.
I disagree.....
Everybody has a 'level' they need to start at when learning ANYTHING.
More often than not, the starting level offered to someone is a bit higher than their current comprehension level on a given subject. It happens all the time to college freshmen. It doesn't mean they are dumb. They have the capability to learn it. It means that their life experiences and knowledge are incompatible with the method in which the subject material is being presented.
With the assistance of an additional reference level (a bridge to knowledge, if you will), a person can then make 'the connection' to the material being taught. The microprocessor diagram helped me a lot. I learned about microprocessor theory from many books and diagrams. I'll be damned if I'll ever be able to share my knowledge with anyone else because it seemed tough to explain to someone else after I understood how it worked. I've always had a problem with 'dumbing down' anything I needed to explain. People always complain that I talk over their heads when they want an answer to a 'simple' question.
The example given in this article greatly streamlines the concept. Now I can give a quick intro to microprocessors the next time the subject comes up.
Hmm... By the looks of things there using a flat model, no CS/DS and a few other bits and bobs, it's not just the addressing that's changed by but the 'way' that you address memory.
This is a small step away from CISC, since the memory access model is becoming simpler, which inturn can give performance improvements.
thank God the internet isn't a human right.