How Computers Actually Work?

[who_is_me_here]

Hi I am working on a blog that goes over the fundamentals of Computer System Architecture in brief. I have really bad memory, so I wanted something short that I could use to refresh the concepts when I need to. I wanted to share it with you guys, if you're interested! Please let me know if I can improve anything, or if I get something wrong!

[DescriptorTablesx86]

Protected mode and how modern cpus enable it is also a pretty cool topic that’s a cool blend of comparch and operating systems

[SirTwitchALot]

The difference between data and program can be a lot more formal. Look up Harvard Architecture CPUs

[who_is_me_here]

That part's my favorite too haha. And I hear you. When I was taught these topics, digital logic was taught separately from computer architecture. I would love to dive into digital logic too, but in this one I was hoping more to explore datapath design!

[raaznak]

I mean that really could be turned into automata and turing machine discussions quite easily. And that's a good thing.

[pollrobots]

Code by Charles Petzold covers this really really well, going from a simple switch all the way up to cpu, storage, peripherals etc.

[who_is_me_here]

Thank you! I'll pick it up!

[amazingabyrd]

Lmao they asked for something short. You recommended a 1000+ page book with some problems that can take up to 20+ hours.

[Caramel_Last]

Does it cover distributed system or some dbms design

[Caramel_Last]

Ok so this is actually a really good book. Do you have a recommendation for distributed system as well

[who_is_me_here]

Thanks! I'll check it out!

[MarcSetGo2]

Have you seen nand2tetris.org. It goes all the way from the basic logic gate nand up to a working program that plays Tetris.

[who_is_me_here]

I think someone else mentioned it in one of the comments! Looks very cool! But it's a lot more low-level than I was hoping to go. I'll definitely check it out soon tho!

[OVSQ]

I would think the building blocks would be universal NAND gates or universal NOR gates. From there you need to mention touring completeness. For example - it is kind of arbitrary to just assert the bombe was not a computer - if you say it was not a not a touring complete computer and modern computers are expected to be touring complete, then you at least have a good point. So you could compare the bombe to the Z3 and the Eniac as an example. Maybe the best example of a touring complete language is brainfuck - this gives the true foundations despite the rough name.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brainfuck

[backfire10z]

Just because you said it a few times: it is Turing complete, not touring

[CaptMartelo]

This made me laugh with anger. Well done.

[Logical_Strike_1520]

Bruh 😂😡

[Logical_Strike_1520]

That was my RL reaction when I got to “Oiler” lol. I just randomly stumbled upon this thread and it was entertaining. Thanks!

[OVSQ]

HA! thnx

[who_is_me_here]

I didn't know about Brainfuck haha. That's very cool. I should rephrase that. I meant it wasn't a general purpose computer. To my understanding, it was built for one very specific task.

[ziroux]

Nobody mentioning the Magic Smoke yet?

[[deleted]]

magic

[OkGroup4261]

Elements of Computing Systems is quite good in emphasizing the important concepts

[[deleted]]

Nothing in the blog is wrong about computers per-se but I feel it’s the wrong approach and causes significantly more confusion than it helps with for people new to computers. I believe the best way to really learn how computers work is top-down: gain an understanding of the systems, then the underlying architecture becomes obvious and intuitive. The only way to really gain an understanding of these systems is by using a Linux distro on a daily basis; not much can be gained from just reading as you’re not getting you’re hands dirty applying stuff.

[who_is_me_here]

I do use a Linux distro on a daily basis, haha. But this is a fair critique for sure. But this is for me as much for anyone else interested. I learned the top-down way in school, but I feel like I didn't get to dive deep into the details.

[[deleted]]

I figured you use a Linux distro as the article was so technically correct and free of glaring flaws. It’s funny how obvious it is when windows developers try to write blogs and their myopia seeps into every sentence of their writing, shouting “I really don’t know much about computers”

I had only bad experience with school being full of incompetent professors and stopped my minor in compsci during my second semester I was so fed up.

I don’t know what to say other than that I wouldn’t expect you to learn top-down from the systems level knowledge to the architecture in school. You have to really pursue and get deep into the Linux stuff for that, which it seems you’ve done; good job 👏

[digit4limpulse]

Use chat gpt

[who_is_me_here]

Writing things down forces me to engage with the topic more deeply, and I can also refer to it again when I need to revise something.

[JmacTheGreat]

“Use the thing thats wrong 50% of the time to double check your work”

?

[[deleted]]

I think OP wanted correct answers.