I think most of the friends who clicked into this article were major in computer science, or were interested in the major of computer science. Well, I think everyone wants to understand the question of "how does a computer run?" This question is very grand and abstract, and it is not easy to explain it. However, it would be a pity if the classmates of the Chinese Academy of Engineering had no idea about this issue for four years in college.
This question is actually related to many courses in our majors, such as the "university computer" in the freshman year, the "digital logic" in the second year, and the heavyweight course "the principle of computer composition" in the junior year. These courses are very hard-core courses (although everyone has a high score for this exam), there should be very few who can really understand the principles behind the entire computer system. But as a basic skill of computer science, its importance is self-evident.
I don’t know if you have any sympathy. I think a lot of the knowledge of computer composition that I have learned now is very abstract, especially the logic gates in the "digital logic" of last semester to various magical latches and adders, etc. I always feel that the way we learn these things is not the right way to open it, and it is particularly abstract and difficult to understand. Is it such a great invention of the computer, I want to learn about it, it is so boring to learn! If you are like this, I believe this article should help you.
This summer, I read a long-lasting classic computer science book, the original English version, which is very touching (not an advertisement). The content is about the question of "how does the computer run", but the whole text is not like a technical book, it is more like a popular science in the form of a story for you by a computer tycoon, explain the profound things in simple terms, and see the essence through the phenomenon. Many points in the book touched me deeply, unveiling the abstract and mysterious veil of computers, and furthering my understanding of computers. These contents can be said to be a vivid retelling of the course of "digital logic" last semester, and a previous introduction to the subsequent study of "the principle of computer composition".
So I decided to write an article column "Easy to understand how computers run", the main content is to leave a record of my reading this book. Looking back, I can quickly grasp the essence of this book. If you feel that reading an original book is a bit too time-consuming, you can follow this column to read my reading notes this summer vacation~