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Introduction to Computing Systems

Welcome to the Introduction to Computing Systems course! This course aims to teach you what a computer is and how it can be programmed. In this course, you will learn about the basic building blocks required to understand the structure of a computer. You will gain insights into numbers, bits, structures to implement operations on numbers, and structures to control the execution of commands by a computer. This course introduces you to logic gates and combinational and sequential circuits. You will learn about a simple processor design with a small instruction set architecture. You will also perform basic assembly programming with that processor. This course covers a wide variety of topics in computing systems that are designed to give you an overview of what’s to come in the BITS Pilani BSc Computer Science degree program.

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What's inside

Syllabus

Course Introduction

Introduction to Digital Computers

Boolean Algebra and Gate level Minimization

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Provides an overview of topics in computing systems, preparing learners for a computer science degree program

Introduces fundamental concepts like numbers, bits, and control structures, which are essential for programming

Explores logic gates, combinational and sequential circuits, and processor design, which are core concepts in computer architecture

Covers assembly programming with a simple processor, which is a foundational skill for understanding low-level computing

Presented by Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani, an institute known for its computer science programs

Focuses on the ISA of LC-3, which may require learners to acquire additional resources to fully understand its applications

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Reviews summary

Foundational computing systems with lc-3

According to learners, this course offers a strong foundation in computing systems, progressing logically from digital logic to computer architecture and assembly programming. Students highlight clear explanations, particularly from the instructor, and appreciate the well-designed labs that reinforce concepts. However, many find the assignments challenging, specifically the LC-3 assembly section. The pace can feel fast, potentially making it less suitable for complete beginners and better aligned with students already starting a CS program. Overall, it's seen as excellent preparation for further studies in Computer Science.

Concepts are explained in an understandable way.

"The instructor's explanations are clear and engaging."

"Lectures were easy to follow and engaging."

"Found the explanations of digital logic very clear."

Provides a solid overview of computing systems.

"This course provides an excellent foundation for anyone starting in Computer Science."

"Gave me a really strong foundation in how computers work."

"An absolutely essential course for anyone studying CS."

Course moves quickly; may be tough for beginners.

"The course covers a lot of ground quickly."

"The pace is very fast. As someone with limited prior experience, I found myself struggling..."

"It feels like it's designed for students already in a CS program rather than complete beginners."

Homework and labs require significant effort.

"The labs were challenging but very rewarding..."

"The homework assignments were definitely tough."

"The labs felt disconnected from lectures at times and were frustratingly hard."

The assembly programming section is difficult.

"The LC-3 assembly part was quite difficult..."

"Struggled with the LC-3 programming labs."

"The LC-3 section was poorly explained for beginners."

"Assembly programming was the main hurdle for me."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Introduction to Computing Systems with these activities:

Review Boolean Algebra

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Strengthen your understanding of Boolean algebra to prepare for the course's sections on digital circuits and logic gates.

Browse courses on Boolean Algebra

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Review the basic postulates of Boolean algebra.
Practice simplifying Boolean expressions using Karnaugh maps.
Work through examples of logic gate implementations.

Read 'Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software'

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Gain a deeper understanding of how computers work from the ground up, complementing the course's focus on computer architecture and assembly programming.

View Melania on Amazon

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Read the book chapter by chapter.
Take notes on key concepts and examples.
Relate the book's explanations to the course material.

LC-3 Assembly Programming Exercises

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Reinforce your understanding of the LC-3 instruction set architecture through hands-on programming exercises.

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Write simple LC-3 programs to perform basic arithmetic operations.
Implement control flow structures like loops and conditional statements in LC-3 assembly.
Debug and test your LC-3 programs using a simulator.

Three other activities

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Create a Presentation on Computer Architecture

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Solidify your knowledge of computer architecture by creating a presentation that explains the key components and their interactions.

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Research different computer architectures and their characteristics.
Develop a presentation outline covering the key topics.
Create visually appealing slides with clear explanations.
Practice your presentation to ensure a smooth delivery.

Study 'Digital Design and Computer Architecture, RISC-V Edition'

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Expand your understanding of computer architecture with a focus on the RISC-V architecture, providing a broader perspective on processor design.

View Digital Design and Computer Architecture on Amazon

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Read the chapters related to processor design and memory systems.
Work through the examples and exercises in the book.
Compare and contrast the RISC-V architecture with the LC-3 architecture.

Build a Simple LC-3 Simulator

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Deepen your understanding of the LC-3 architecture by building your own simulator, allowing you to execute and debug LC-3 programs.

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Design the simulator's architecture, including memory, registers, and instruction decoder.
Implement the instruction set of the LC-3 in your simulator.
Create a user interface for loading and executing LC-3 programs.
Test your simulator with various LC-3 programs and debug any issues.

Career center

Learners who complete Introduction to Computing Systems will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Computer Hardware Engineer

A Computer Hardware Engineer designs, develops, and tests computer hardware components, such as processors, memory, and circuit boards. This introductory course helps develop an understanding of the basic building blocks of a computer, including logic gates, circuits, and processor architecture, all of which are foundational to this role. This course introduces concepts essential to understanding how the physical components of a computer operate and how they are integrated into a functioning system. The experience gained from this course is directly applicable to the analysis, design and development tasks that computer hardware engineers frequently perform. In particular, studying instruction set architecture and performing some basic assembly programming are directly relevant experience for aspiring hardware engineers.

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Embedded Systems Engineer

An Embedded Systems Engineer develops software and hardware for embedded systems, which are specialized computer systems often found within larger devices. This introductory course may be useful for individuals interested in embedded systems, by providing insight into computer organization and architecture, which are fundamental to the field. You will learn about building blocks such as logic gates, combinational and sequential circuits, processor design, and assembly programming, all of which are core concepts for understanding the hardware that they work with. This course may be particularly helpful as it provides a good overview of what the field entails.

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Software Developer

A Software Developer creates software applications, using programming languages to write and test code. While this introductory course does not directly teach software development with modern languages, it helps learners build a foundation of how a computer works at the most basic levels. You will learn about numbers, bits, control structures, processors, and instruction set architectures. This background may be useful for software developers, as it provides a lower-level perspective on how code interacts with the underlying hardware. The assembly programming component of this course is especially helpful for understanding machine level operations. Although not directly software-focused, this course helps improve the holistic understanding of a computer system.

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Robotics Engineer

A Robotics Engineer designs, builds, and tests robots and robotic systems. This introductory course may be helpful, as a deeper understanding of computer architecture and how processors execute instructions is essential for programming and controlling robots. The course provides a foundational understanding of computer organization, including the instruction set architecture, processors, and basic assembly programming. This knowledge of how computers operate at a fundamental level can inform a robotics engineer's decisions about programming, planning, and implementing robotic systems. This course, especially the programming elements, can be helpful for aspiring robotics engineers.

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Computer Systems Analyst

A Computer Systems Analyst studies computer systems and their performance to recommend improvements. This introductory course may be useful by helping to build a fundamental understanding of computer architecture and organization. The knowledge of processors, instruction sets, and assembly programming provides a deeper understanding of how computer systems operate that most other courses do not. The concepts covered here, such as logic gates, circuits, and the structure of a computer system, are indirectly relevant to the types of issues a Computer Systems Analyst deals with daily. While this is not the main focus of a systems analyst's work, this course may enhance your ability to conceptualize system-wide improvements.

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Network Engineer

A Network Engineer designs, implements, and maintains computer networks. Although this introductory course does not cover networking directly, understanding how individual computers process information is essential for designing an efficient network that connects them. This course provides this with explorations of computer organization and architecture, processors, and instruction sets. A network engineer should understand what kinds of constraints individual computers operate under so that their network design appropriately connects them. In this way, this course may indirectly help network engineers understand how network traffic flows through a system.

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Technical Support Specialist

A Technical Support Specialist helps computer users troubleshoot problems with software and hardware. This introductory course may be useful for a technical support specialist, as it provides a foundational understanding of computer architecture and operations. While those in such a role would not generally program or design hardware, the course’s emphasis on how computers operate at a fundamental level can provide valuable context for understanding and resolving technical issues reported by users. Basic knowledge of the building blocks of a computer and how it executes commands may be helpful for effectively diagnosing and resolving problems.

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Quality Assurance Engineer

A Quality Assurance Engineer tests software and systems to ensure they meet quality standards. This introductory course may provide useful background knowledge that may enhance one's ability to diagnose issues at a low level. You will learn about computer architecture, circuits, processors, and assembly language, which will allow you to see how code interacts with the hardware on which it runs. By understanding the fundamental components of a computer, a Quality Assurance Engineer can gain insight into potential causes of bugs or performance issues. This course may be a useful supplement to the typical training for a quality assurance role.

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Data Scientist

A Data Scientist analyzes large datasets to extract insights and make predictions. This introductory course may be helpful, as understanding the fundamentals of computer architecture and how data is processed can help those in this role better leverage computing resources for data analysis and modeling. While the course does not focus on data analysis, the understanding of numbers, bits, and instruction execution can provide a useful understanding of the hardware that the data scientist is using. This course will provide a foundation for understanding all the computer-science tools they will use in their day-to-day work.

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Information Security Analyst

An Information Security Analyst protects computer systems and networks from security threats. This introductory course may be of use in building a basic understanding of computer systems. The course explores the low level workings of a computer, including topics such as logic gates, instruction execution and assembly level programming. Learning the details of how a computer works on the hardware level may help one understand vulnerabilities in more complex systems. While this course does not directly cover security, it does provide useful background knowledge about the underlying architecture of a computer and may help you to better reason about vulnerabilities.

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Database Administrator

A Database Administrator manages and maintains databases to ensure they are available and secure. This introductory course may be useful, as those in this role benefit from a fundamental understanding of computer architecture. The course explores how computers operate at a low level, including processors and instruction execution. This understanding may enable a better appreciation of the hardware limitations where databases are stored, and may support more informed decision-making about database optimization and resource allocation. The course may be helpful in this way, but the connection is indirect.

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Web Developer

A Web Developer builds and maintains websites and web applications. This introductory course may be helpful by providing a basic understanding of computer systems. This course explores the instruction set for a simple processor, and how computers operate at a low level. This basic understanding of the foundations of computer systems may inform a Web Developer's understanding of how their code interacts with the underlying hardware, and can be useful in their day-to-day work. However, this course does not directly teach front-end or back-end web development techniques.

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Project Manager

A Project Manager plans, organizes, and oversees projects to ensure they are completed on time and within budget. While this introductory course is not directly focused on project management, it helps you gain a fundamental knowledge of computing systems. This course explores what a computer is and how it works, including instruction sets and basic assembly programming. This knowledge may help a project manager to better understand the technical aspects of projects they manage in the technology sector. This knowledge may be useful for project managers who work with teams that develop hardware or low-level software for computer systems.

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IT Consultant

An IT Consultant provides guidance to organizations on how to use information technology to achieve their business goals. This introductory course may indirectly help an IT consultant by providing a basic understanding of computer architecture and organization. The course covers topics such as instruction sets, processors, and assembly language. Although these concepts are not directly related to the typical tasks of an IT consultant, this background may provide the consultant with a broader perspective on the technical systems that a company uses.

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Technical Writer

A Technical Writer creates documentation and user guides for technical products and services. This introductory course provides a foundational understanding of computer systems. Those in this role should understand how computers work, and this course introduces instruction sets, processors, and assembly language, alongside other important concepts. Though a writer in this role will not directly program or design hardware, the deeper understanding of computer systems will improve the quality of their documentation. This introductory course may be a useful supplement to the typical training.

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Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Introduction to Computing Systems.

Think and Grow Rich - English : For Personal Growth...

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Provides a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the inner workings of computers. It starts with basic concepts like Morse code and Braille and gradually builds up to more complex topics like logic gates, binary arithmetic, and assembly language. This book is particularly useful for students who want a deeper understanding of the fundamental principles behind computing systems. It serves as excellent additional reading to supplement the course material.

Melania

Hardcover

From Here to the Great Unknown: Oprah's Book Club:...

Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between...

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Be Ready When the Luck Happens: A Memoir

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The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of...

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Onyx Storm (Deluxe Limited Edition) (The Empyrean,...

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Spooky Cutie: Coloring Book for Adults and Teens...

Paperback

The Leaf Thief: (The Perfect Fall Book for Children...

Paperback

Digital Design and Computer Architecture

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Offers a modern introduction to digital design and computer architecture using the RISC-V instruction set architecture. It covers topics such as logic design, processor design, memory systems, and I/O. This book is valuable as a reference text for students who want to delve deeper into the design aspects of computing systems. It provides a more comprehensive treatment of the subject matter than the course alone.

Digital Design and Computer Architecture

Paperback

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Digital Design and Computer Architecture

Kindle Edition

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