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Title: Structured Computer Organization (4th Edition) by Andrew S. Tanenbaum ISBN: 0-13-095990-1 Publisher: Prentice Hall Pub. Date: 23 October, 1998 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $108.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.14 (35 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: A very good introduction to the inner workings of a computer
Comment: This well-written and often humorous (in the good sense) book is targeted for a freshman or sophomore in computer science or computer engineering. Following a few introductory chapters which give both a historical, conceptual, and structural overview of the computer, Tanenbaum partakes upon a semi-detailed introduction to the various "levels" of a computer, beginning with the digital-logic level (the actual hardware) and working up to both the operating-systems and assembly-language levels.
With respect to the digital-logic level, I thought he did well in introducing the student to the essential components (e.g. registers, ALU, Flip-Flops) without overburdening the student with design techniques such as Karnaugh maps, finite-state machines, etc..
However, by far the best part of the book seemed to be his explanation of the microarchitectural level, in which the relationship between memory, control, and datapath was fully explained. This chapter seemed to be where the "rubber met the road" in terms of showing the connection between programs and hardware. I would have preferred however if he had not introduced the IJVM language so early in this chapter, and had spent more time demonstrating microprograms. I know for a fact that many of my students seemed very confused about the difference between microinstructions and machine instructions.
Moreover, a majority of them found microprogramming with the Mic-1 very difficult if not impossible. More microprogram examples would probably have helped.
Finally, where as the later chapters on instruction sets and assembly language seemed very adequate introductory overviews, the operating-systems level seemed overly broad and of not much use. Certainly, a student should read his other book on OS to fully appreciate this all-too-important aspect of the computer.
In closing, I should mention that the Mic1 software also accompanies this text, and helps provide the student with a well-rounded education, in that they get some hands-on experience. The software and the well-written text make it an irresistable choice to use a first course in computer organization.
Rating: 1
Summary: Tanenbaum needs new publisher and editors
Comment: Andrew Tanenbaum might be the best there is when it comes to the study of computers but, unless you're a "thorough geek," you'd wish other technical writers would step into the fore.
Tanenbaum's books all use the same single technique to help students remember important ideas: bold letters. That's it. You'd be hard pressed to understand the main concepts most of the times because, like a forgetful professor, he'd sometimes mention it in passing (without bold font) that you think they weren't that important. Until one pops up in one of his chapter problems, then you're through.
He does not provide any solutions at the end of his books. One gets the sense he wrote his books for the instructors/professors who are too lazy (or uncreative) to come up with their own sample problems for the students. I wish they'd write computer science books the way mathematicians write their books: They assume their students are "mathematically-challenged" so they go that extra mile to make sure the students get the point. They provide answers to odd-number problems, for one. They also make sure the layout of their books are arranged so that students don't miss the main ideas. With Tanenbaum, you'd have to dig everywhere; you don't know whether to search in the current, previous, or the following chapters for help in answering the problems.
I still have a few more semesters of computer science; I'm almost sure all the textbooks would be written by Tanenbaum (again!). I dread the thought.
So, Tanenbaum, if you're reading this: Please, please, look for another publisher and editor who would help you in the layout of your book. And please, please, provide some answers to some of your problems for the students. At over a hundred bucks, I want my money's worth!
Rating: 5
Summary: The Book
Comment: Does any one know of a solution mannual for this book? The questions at the end of the book are nice and all but they are really hard to solve.
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Title: Modern Operating Systems (2nd Edition) by Andrew Tanenbaum ISBN: 0130313580 Publisher: Prentice Hall Pub. Date: 28 February, 2001 List Price(USD): $96.00 |
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Title: Operating System Concepts by Abraham Silberschatz, Greg Gagne, Peter Baer Galvin ISBN: 0471250600 Publisher: Wiley Text Books Pub. Date: 08 March, 2002 List Price(USD): $92.95 |
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Title: Information Technology: Inside and Outside (With CD-ROM) by David Cyganski, John A. Orr, Richard F. Vaz ISBN: 0130114960 Publisher: Prentice Hall Pub. Date: 15 January, 2001 List Price(USD): $68.00 |
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Title: The Essential Guide to Computing: The Story of Information Technology by E. Garrison Walters ISBN: 0130194697 Publisher: Prentice Hall PTR Pub. Date: 15 August, 2000 List Price(USD): $39.99 |
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Title: Mandatory Package: Discrete Mathematics and Its Applications by Kenneth H. Rosen ISBN: 0072930330 Publisher: McGraw-Hill Science/Engineering/Math Pub. Date: 22 April, 2003 List Price(USD): $126.40 |
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