IT1030 – Introduction to Computer Organisation

This subject is an introduction to fundamentals of computer organization: roles of processors, main memory, and input/output devices. The concept of programs as sequences of machine instructions is explained. Machine language and assembly language and their relationship with high-level compiled languages is discussed. Number representation is introduced and the discussion centres on how different types of data may be represented inside a computer.

Arithmetic and logical operations will be introduced and number systems and their conversions methods. Memory organization, including cache structures and virtual memory schemes. Machine representation of instructions and data, addressing techniques, memory organization, and execution of instructions at machine level. A brief introduction to operating systems and their operations is presented. How the various computer components process the data is explained. How the operating system and the hardware cooperate to make computer operations possible and efficient. The problem of resources allocation is discussed. The subject also includes discussion of the basics of digital logic including the major logical gates and logical circuits.