Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Computers

1. Expansion Cards

Utility

Expansion cards add new features or improve existing ones in a computer. They facilitate communication between internal and external peripheral devices and the system bus.

Disk Controller Card

Disk controller cards, once used to manage hard disks, CD-ROMs, DVDs, and floppy drives, are now integrated into the motherboard.

Video Card

The video card is crucial for displaying text, images, and graphics on the monitor.

Components

• Video Processor: Receives, processes, and stores information in video memory, transmitting it to the monitor via the VGA connector.
• Memory Chips: Hold information needed to display pixels on the screen.
• AGP: Allows the card to be inserted into the AGP slot.
• Port for the Monitor: Connects the card to the

Turing's Thesis and the Problem of Computability

Thesis 1

"Every problem that can be solved algorithmically can be solved by a Turing machine."

Concepts Associated with Thesis 1

• Algorithm: A set of rules that can be mechanically applied to solve a problem of a given class. Mainly used in mathematical contexts.
• Calculation: Any transaction which is carried out by manipulation of symbols as a means of representation. The symbolic operations are atomic, that is, quite simple, and are held in a computer. The action of the computer will depend on the symbols that have the system and the internal state in which the computer is.

Thesis 2

"Every computable function can be computed by a Turing machine. Every problem that can be solved by algorithmic methods

Core Concepts in Computer Science and Programming

Microprocessor Components

Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) Explained

The Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) performs all mathematical and logical operations, such as comparisons, within the CPU.

Role of the Control Unit

The Control Unit is responsible for controlling all operations of both internal microprocessor components and external peripherals.

Memory and Data Storage

Understanding RAM (Random Access Memory)

Another name for volatile memory is RAM (Random Access Memory). It is generally used to store two primary types of information:

• Program instructions
• Operating data associated with those instructions

Algorithm Fundamentals

Defining an Algorithm

An algorithm is defined as a finite set of well-defined, unambiguous... Continue reading "Essential Computer Science and Programming Fundamentals" »

Of these nine flags, six of them change after running many of the arithmetic and logic instructions. The six flags are:

• C (Carry): Indicates a carry after addition or a borrow after a subtraction. The carry flag also indicates error conditions on certain programs and procedures.
• P (Parity): It is zero for odd parity and 1 for even parity.
• A (Auxiliary Carry): Indicates a carry after addition or a borrow after a subtraction from bit 3 to bit 4 in the result.
• Z (Zero): Indicates if the result of an arithmetic or logic operation is zero. If Z = 1, the result is zero, and if Z = 0, the result is not zero.
• S (Sign): Indicates the arithmetic sign of the result after an addition or subtraction. If S = 1, the result is negative. If S = 0, the result is

Process Planning

Objectives

• Justice: Avoid favoring some processes over others.
• Maximum Number of Interactive Users: Focus on most time-sharing systems.
• Predictability: The strategy must enable the execution of processes.
• Minimizing Overhead: Minimize context switches.
• Balance in the Use of Resources: Resources must be used fairly and for as long as possible.
• Safety Priorities: Established priorities should be respected.
• Maximum Capacity of Execution: Minimize process changes.

Criteria

• Response Time: Speed with which the system responds to a request.
• Service Time: Response time minus time for I/O.
• Runtime: Service time minus timeout.
• Processor Time: Processor time occupation.
• Timeout: Waiting times in queues.
• Efficiency: Processor utilization.
• Yield: Number

SPC Control System

SPC Control System refers to the method of controlling a switching system.

• Centralized SPC Control: If a given processor has direct access to all resources of the node and performs all system functions. This usually means the node has a single central computer (doubled for security).
• Distributed SPC Control: If a processor is in a given state but does not have access to some of the resources and/or is not able to run only some of the functions of the system. In practice, this leads to an existing digital system with a high number of microprocessors that perform the control node as a whole.

Functions of Switching Systems

Switching systems provide power and signaling with user terminals. The user, via the wire pair of the switching... Continue reading "SPC Control Systems: Centralized vs. Distributed" »

Database Architecture

The definition of an information system is the detailed description of the system architecture.

Internal Level

The lowest level of abstraction, defining how data is stored on hardware and accessed. Responsibilities of the Database Administrator (DBA) include managing:

• Block size
• Relative position of stored records
• Addressing methods
• Overflows
• Indexing
• Storage changes
• Compression techniques

Conceptual Level

The mid-level of abstraction, representing the organization's data. This level encompasses partial views of different users' requirements and potential uses. It provides a total organizational vision, including data definitions and relationships. DBA responsibilities include:

• Defining the data stored in the database:
  • Data name
  • Attributes
  • Relationships

Core Computer Architecture Components

CPU Registers Explained

CPU registers are small, high-speed storage locations within the central processing unit (CPU) that hold data and instructions for immediate processing.

Accumulator Register

The Accumulator Register stores the results of executed operations. It connects to input registers for feedback in chained operations and also connects to the data bus for sending results to main memory or the control unit.

Program Counter (PC)

The Program Counter (PC) stores the memory address of the next instruction to be executed.

Instruction Register (IR)

The Instruction Register (IR) contains the instruction currently being executed.

Understanding Computer Buses

A bus is a channel or set of parallel connections that... Continue reading "Computer Architecture Fundamentals: CPU, Memory, Buses, and Addressing" »

Software Architecture Design Principles

Key aspects of software design include:

• Software Architecture Design: Defines the major structural components of the software and their relationships.
• Project Data Design: Involves designing the data structure needed to implement the software.
• Procedural Design: Refines and details the procedural description of the structural components defined in the software architecture.
• Interface Design: Describes how software communicates internally (internal interfaces), with other systems (external interfaces), and with users (user interface).

Component vs. Class Diagrams in UML

Similarities

• Both can realize a set of interfaces.
• Both can participate in various relationships (dependency, generalization, association).
• Both

Program Counter (PC) and Instruction Register (IR)

The Program Counter (PC) contains the address of the instruction to be read. The Instruction Register (IR) contains the last statement read.

Interrupts

Interrupts interrupt the normal execution of the processor. They appear mainly as a way to improve processing efficiency. Interrupts can be generated by software, clock, I/O, or hardware failure.

Disabled Interrupts

Disabled interrupts mean that the processor will ignore the interrupt signal. If an interruption occurs during that time, it generally will remain pending and will be checked by the processor after it enables interrupts.

Processor Actions

When the processor interprets the instruction and performs the action, the action can be classified... Continue reading "CPU Operations: Interrupts, I/O, DMA, and Multiprogramming" »