Build Your Own Computer: From Scratch (From Scratch Series)

Book Synopsis: Beginners to computers usually take the “magic box” approach. Ignoring the computer’s inner workings, they start by learning a high-level language that gives them access to the computer's basic capabilities. As more experience is gained, performance issues or the need to more fully manipulate hardware calls for greater insight into the computer's hardware and software capabilities. Or perhaps they just grow curious and want to know how computers work. In any case, Build Your Own Computer (BYOC) – From Scratch describes how a computer works from the inside out. It begins with first principles (AND, OR, and NOT logic) and carries out a basic computer design that is first simulated and tested then installed in a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) to make a working computer. A knowledge of computer science or electronics is not needed to follow along. Each step relies on supplied information and simple reasoning.Though organized by chapters, this book can be further divided into three sections. Chapters 1 to 4 provide theory based on AND, OR, and NOT logic followed by development of the devices needed to build a computer. Chapters 5 to 10 describe and test the simulated version of the BYOC computer design. The remaining chapters, 11 and 12, cover the actual hardware implementation of the computer design in a Field Programmable Gate Array.A companion website provides access to all design resources so that the BYOC can be simulated with Logisim and implemented on an Intel Cyclone V FPGA. Whether computer professional or simply a computer user, knowing how a computer works allows you to take full advantage of its capabilities expanding the range of possible hardware and software solutions.