Sean Lawless

Computer Systems Sean Lawless

Ride the wave of your life through the inside of a computer atop your software surfboard! This incremental introduction to computer systems starts with binary numbers and leads the reader through the entire process of bringing computer hardware to life with software. Starting with an introduction to hardware architecture, the book evolves into an overview of software languages. From the assembly language that hardware understands, to the human understandable C language. Showcasing the best practices of system software design, debugging and organization, this journey leads the reader through the process of creating a software interface to hardware LED, timer and serial communications devices. Combining the previous software building blocks the journey leads to understanding and creating a historic transfer protocol in order to finish the bootloader. Each chapter and section builds upon the last as the reader incrementally creates a system software ecosystem. The journey concludes with the creation of an operating system, video screen console and video game with animation. Each chapter introduces more complex data structures and algorithms which are used to solve real problems. Should be purchased and read with companion laboratory book chapter by chapter for the a hands on journey into the heart of a computer.