Introduction to Computing Systems：From Bits and Gates to C and Beyond

"IntroductiontoComputingSystems：FrombitsandgatestoCandbeyond，"nowinitssecondedition，isdesignedtogivestudentsabetterunderstandingofcomputingearlyintheircollegecareersinordertogivethemastrongerfoundationforlatercourses.Thebookisintwoparts：(a)theunderlyingstructureofacomputer，and(b)programminginahighlevellanguageandprogrammingmethodology.Tounderstandthecomputer，theauthorsintroducetheLC-3andprovidetheLC-3Simulatortogivestudentshands-onaccessfortestingwhattheylearn.Todeveloptheirunderstandingofprogrammingandprogrammingmethodology，theyusetheCprogramminglanguage.Thebooktakesa"motivated"bottom-upapproach，wherethestudentsfirstgetexposedtothebigpictureandthenstartatthebottomandbuildtheirknowledgebottom-up.Withineachsmallerunit，thesamemotivatedbottom-upapproachisfollowed.Everystepoftheway，studentslearnnewthings，buildingonwhattheyalreadyknow.Theauthorsfeelthatthisapproachencouragesdeeperunderstandinganddownplaystheneedformemorizing.Studentsdevelopagreaterbreadthofunderstanding，sincetheyseehowthevariouspartsofthecomputerfittogether.