Contact Information

Course Description: (From the catalog) The purpose of this course is to provide a thorough discussion of the fundamentals of computer organization and architecture and to relate these to contemporary computer design issues. After a brief review of the basic digital components used, the steps that a designer would go through in the design of an elementary system are covered followed by a discussion of the organization and design of the central processing unit (CPU) and various control system implementations. The input/output and memory subsystems are included as is a brief discussion of multiprocessing systems, pipelining and virtual memory. Students registering for this course must also register for the accompanying lab course.

Course goals

The purpose of this course is to develop students' understanding of tradeoffs involved in the organization, implementation and operation of a typical digital computer. Upon completion of the course, a student should understand the following:

• Basic CPU design to include both hardwired and microcoded control systems.
• Concepts involved in an instruction set architecture (ISA).
• Memory concepts including cache and virtual memory techniques.
• I/O bus communications and protocols including DMA.

Course Objectives:

• Data representations / Digital logic design;
• Register transfer language (RTL);
• Hardwired controller design and implementation;
• Microprogrammed controller design;
• Instruction set architecture, processing, assembly and pipelining;
• Memory hierarchy, cache techniques and virtual memory;
• I/O methods, interrupts, raid techniques, data compression;
• RISC versus CISC machines.

Attendance policy

This is partly a lab course. You can't do the labs if you aren't in the lab. I don't take attendence, but my grading reflects my expectation of seeing you regularly:

Quizzes and exams are ordinarily due in the period in which they are given, and may not be turned in later, although they may be excused if you have a convincing story, such as your grandmother getting married in Provincetown.

Labs are due on the day on which they are assigned, but not necessarily in class. Anything turned in by midnight is on time, and unless I am actually in my office at midnight, anything I find in my box on the following morning is assumed to have been turned in on time.

Papers and programming assignments are similarly due by midnight. Late papers and programs may be accepted after their due date, but I am likely to mark them down for lateness.

Course resources

David Harris and Sarah Harris,

Digital Design and Computer Architecture

Morgan Kaufman Publishers

I usually record grades in blackboard.

Reading and Lab Project Schedule:

• Tentative lecture schedule and reading
• lab schedule

Final Exam

Topics

Grading

Tentative grade rubric:

1. There will be lab sessions throughout the term. You are expected to attend If you have a conflict with a scheduled lab session, talk to the instructor as soon as possible. Progress reports will be accepted at the end of each lab session. These are graded pass/fail, and will make up 10% of the final grade.
2. There will be several pop quizes, making up in total 10% of the final grade.
3. There will be several programming projects, making up 50% of the final grade.
4. There will be a final exam and two midterms, which will make up 30% of the final grade

Late work

I do not consider homework which is emailed to me to be turned in on time, no matter when you sent it. Instead use the Blackboard dropbox.

There are no makeup or early exams, but I may excuse an exam for a good story, presented in advance, like your grandmother getting married that day in Provincetown.

Each student is responsible for completing all course requirements and for keeping up with all activities of the course (whether a student is present or not).

Academic Honesty

I consider it plagiarism to share typing or fail to give credit to other peoples' ideas.

Fitchburg State College has an Academic Dishonesty policy, which can be found in the college catalog. Penalties for academic dishonesty, including submitting work which is not your own, and assisting other students on examinations, can be severe.

Accomodation