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Review of Computer system architecture by M. Morris Mano. Prentice-Hall 1976.

Review of Computer system architecture by M. Morris Mano. Prentice-Hall 1976. MANO, M. MORRIS. 31,146 Computer system architecture. Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, N.J., 1976, 478 pp., $17.95, ISBN 0-13-166363-1. Contrary to its title, this book is not about computer system architecture. It might better have been called "'Computer Logic Design," which happens to be the name of an earlier book by the same author. The twelve chapter titles indicate the main thrust: Digital Logic Circuits, Integrated Circuits and Digital Functions, Data Representation, Register Transfer and Micro-Operations, Basic Computer Organization and Design, Computer Software, Central Processor Organization, Microprogram Control Organization, Arithmetic Processor Design, Arithmetic Algorithms, Input-Output Organization, and Memory Organization. While all of these topics are, to varying extents, within the broad scope of computer architecture, the emphasis is on logical design: the components needed to build a computer, not the functions needed for its effective use. What is really meant by computer archicture? The term was coined by F. P. Brooks, JL, who explained: Computer architecture, like other architecture, is the art of determining the needs of the user of a structure and then designing to meet those needs as effectively as possible within economic and technical constraints. Architecture must include engineering considerations, so that the design will be economical and feasible; but the emphasis in architecture is upon the needs of the user, whereas in engineering the emphasis is upon the needs of the fabricator [1]. Bell and Newell [2] have narrowed the definition to the view of a computer by the machine-level programmer as its direct user: The term architecture is used here to describe the attributes of a system as seen by a programmer, i.e., the conceptual structure and functional behavior, as distinct from the organization of the data flow and controls, the logical design, and the physical implementation. The same definition, centering on the programmermachine interface, is implied by most of the contributions to Computer Architecture News, the publication of the ACM Special Interest Group on Computer Architecture. There are, no doubt, others beside the author who have appropriated the term for their own purposes, but it seems a disservice to the computer field to redefine architecture as a fancy synonym for logical design. The book is somewhat broader in scope and differently organized than the author's earlier text. His unstated frame of reference seems to be the minicomputer. Functions that are not usually found in such small computers are treated very lightly or not at all. For example, multiprocessing and virtual machines are not covered. Among the assets of the book as a classroom text are the extensive use of examples and the list of problems after each chapter. Computer organization is illustrated with a hypothetical computer design, but one patterned after the PDP-8. Such illustrative material should be helpful to the instructor. As a book on architecture, it most of all lacks insight. It is full of categorical statements: this is how to do it, or this is how it is. To ci~ a small example, decimalto-binary fraction conversion is illustrated (p. 83) by converting 0.6875 to 0.1011 in binary. There is no remainder, everything is neat and orderly. If only he had chosen 0.6876, the author could have taken off on a discussion of rounding error. Instead, a major factor in the basic choice between decimal and binary number representation is left out entirely. None of the numerous references after each chapter is cited in the text. The reader gets no direction on where to go for more information, especially on the many basic" concepts which are covered only briefly. Attribution of concepts to their originators and historical perspective are missing. As another text on logical design rather than architecture, the book covers no new ground. The emphasis on integrated circuits may appeal to instructors and students of a basic course on computer design. W. Buchholz, Wappingers Falls, N.Y. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png ACM SIGARCH Computer Architecture News Association for Computing Machinery

Review of Computer system architecture by M. Morris Mano. Prentice-Hall 1976.

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Publisher
Association for Computing Machinery
Copyright
Copyright © 1978 by ACM Inc.
ISSN
0163-5964
DOI
10.1145/859418.859424
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

MANO, M. MORRIS. 31,146 Computer system architecture. Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, N.J., 1976, 478 pp., $17.95, ISBN 0-13-166363-1. Contrary to its title, this book is not about computer system architecture. It might better have been called "'Computer Logic Design," which happens to be the name of an earlier book by the same author. The twelve chapter titles indicate the main thrust: Digital Logic Circuits, Integrated Circuits and Digital Functions, Data Representation, Register Transfer and Micro-Operations, Basic Computer Organization and Design, Computer Software, Central Processor Organization, Microprogram Control Organization, Arithmetic Processor Design, Arithmetic Algorithms, Input-Output Organization, and Memory Organization. While all of these topics are, to varying extents, within the broad scope of computer architecture, the emphasis is on logical design: the components needed to build a computer, not the functions needed for its effective use. What is really meant by computer archicture? The term was coined by F. P. Brooks, JL, who explained: Computer architecture, like other architecture, is the art of determining the needs of the user of a structure and then designing to meet those needs as effectively as possible within economic and technical constraints. Architecture must include engineering considerations, so that the design will be economical and feasible; but the emphasis in architecture is upon the needs of the user, whereas in engineering the emphasis is upon the needs of the fabricator [1]. Bell and Newell [2] have narrowed the definition to the view of a computer by the machine-level programmer as its direct user: The term architecture is used here to describe the attributes of a system as seen by a programmer, i.e., the conceptual structure and functional behavior, as distinct from the organization of the data flow and controls, the logical design, and the physical implementation. The same definition, centering on the programmermachine interface, is implied by most of the contributions to Computer Architecture News, the publication of the ACM Special Interest Group on Computer Architecture. There are, no doubt, others beside the author who have appropriated the term for their own purposes, but it seems a disservice to the computer field to redefine architecture as a fancy synonym for logical design. The book is somewhat broader in scope and differently organized than the author's earlier text. His unstated frame of reference seems to be the minicomputer. Functions that are not usually found in such small computers are treated very lightly or not at all. For example, multiprocessing and virtual machines are not covered. Among the assets of the book as a classroom text are the extensive use of examples and the list of problems after each chapter. Computer organization is illustrated with a hypothetical computer design, but one patterned after the PDP-8. Such illustrative material should be helpful to the instructor. As a book on architecture, it most of all lacks insight. It is full of categorical statements: this is how to do it, or this is how it is. To ci~ a small example, decimalto-binary fraction conversion is illustrated (p. 83) by converting 0.6875 to 0.1011 in binary. There is no remainder, everything is neat and orderly. If only he had chosen 0.6876, the author could have taken off on a discussion of rounding error. Instead, a major factor in the basic choice between decimal and binary number representation is left out entirely. None of the numerous references after each chapter is cited in the text. The reader gets no direction on where to go for more information, especially on the many basic" concepts which are covered only briefly. Attribution of concepts to their originators and historical perspective are missing. As another text on logical design rather than architecture, the book covers no new ground. The emphasis on integrated circuits may appeal to instructors and students of a basic course on computer design. W. Buchholz, Wappingers Falls, N.Y.

Journal

ACM SIGARCH Computer Architecture NewsAssociation for Computing Machinery

Published: Aug 1, 1978

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