Learning Computer Architecture with Raspberry Pi

Use your Raspberry Pi to get smart about computing fundamentals

In the 1980s, the tech revolution was kickstarted by a flood of relatively inexpensive, highly programmable computers like the Commodore. Now, a second revolution in computing is beginning with the Raspberry Pi. Learning Computer Architecture with the Raspberry Pi is the premier guide to understanding the components of the most exciting tech product available. Thanks to this book, every Raspberry Pi owner can understand how the computer works and how to access all of its hardware and software capabilities.

Now, students, hackers, and casual users alike can discover how computers work with Learning Computer Architecture with the Raspberry Pi. This book explains what each and every hardware component does, how they relate to one another, and how they correspond to the components of other computing systems. You'll also learn how programming works and how the operating system relates to the Raspberry Pi's physical components.

• Co-authored by Eben Upton, one of the creators of the Raspberry Pi, this is a companion volume to the Raspberry Pi User Guide

• An affordable solution for learning about computer system design considerations and experimenting with low-level programming

• Understandable descriptions of the functions of memory storage, Ethernet, cameras, processors, and more

• Gain knowledge of computer design and operation in general by exploring the basic structure of the Raspberry Pi

The Raspberry Pi was created to bring forth a new generation of computer scientists, developers, and architects who understand the inner workings of the computers that have become essential to our daily lives. Learning Computer Architecture with the Raspberry Pi is your gateway to the world of computer system design.

Auteur

Eben Upton is one of the co-creators of the Raspberry Pi, driven by the desire to create a new generation of developers capable of making an effective contribution to the field. Eben is also a co-author of the Raspberry Pi User Guide. Jeff Dunteman is a veteran tech author and a co-founder of Coriolis Press. His previous publications include Assembly Language Step By Step and Jeff Dunteman's Wi-Fi Guide.

Texte du rabat
Take an insider tour of the Raspberry Pi and learn the mechanics of computing Inspired by the relatively cheap, highly programmable computers of the 1980s—and their impact on the UK tech industry—the Raspberry Pi was designed to inspire and empower a new generation of programmers. Accessible both economically and technically, the Raspberry Pi is the ideal vehicle for learning how computers work. Learning Computer Architecture with Raspberry Pi is your personal guide on this journey of discovery, and it's your expert coach for developing a knowledge base that translates well beyond the Pi itself. Authors Eben Upton and Jeff Dunteman are the ideal teachers: Upton provides deep insight as a Raspberry Pi co-creator, and Dunteman distills complex technical knowledge into easily understood explanations. Together they provide expert guidance on the technology behind all computers, based on the mechanics behind the credit card–sized computer that is revolutionizing the world of programming. This book walks you through each component step by step to show you what it does, why it's needed, how it relates to the other components, and the choices the designers faced when creating it. From memory, storage, and processors, to Ethernet, cameras, and audio, Upton and Dunteman team up to give you a solid understanding of the Raspberry Pi internals, and how it relates to the technology underlying computing as a whole. With design intent and critical function straight from the source, Learning Computer Architecture with Raspberry Pi helps you:

• Learn the purpose behind each piece of the Pi
• Understand how the various components interact
• Dig into the thought process behind the system's design
• Learn how programming works
• Examine the interplay between hardware and operating system
• Delve into the mechanics behind the ARM chip
• Compare and contrast different chips, from ARM to Intel Visit the companion website at www.wiley.com/go/comparchitecture

Résumé
Use your Raspberry Pi to get smart about computing fundamentals

In the 1980s, the tech revolution was kickstarted by a flood of relatively inexpensive, highly programmable computers like the Commodore. Now, a second revolution in computing is beginning with the Raspberry Pi. Learning Computer Architecture with the Raspberry Pi is the premier guide to understanding the components of the most exciting tech product available. Thanks to this book, every Raspberry Pi owner can understand how the computer works and how to access all of its hardware and software capabilities.

Now, students, hackers, and casual users alike can discover how computers work with Learning Computer Architecture with the Raspberry Pi. This book explains what each and every hardware component does, how they relate to one another, and how they correspond to the components of other computing systems. You'll also learn how programming works and how the operating system relates to the Raspberry Pi's physical components.

• Co-authored by Eben Upton, one of the creators of the Raspberry Pi, this is a companion volume to the Raspberry Pi User Guide
• An affordable solution for learning about computer system design considerations and experimenting with low-level programming
• Understandable descriptions of the functions of memory storage, Ethernet, cameras, processors, and more
• Gain knowledge of computer design and operation in general by exploring the basic structure of the Raspberry Pi
  The Raspberry Pi was created to bring forth a new generation of computer scientists, developers, and architects who understand the inner workings of the computers that have become essential to our daily lives. Learning Computer Architecture with the Raspberry Pi is your gateway to the world of computer system design.

Contenu

Introduction 1

Cambridge 1

Cut to the Chase 3

The Knee in the Curve 4

Forward the Foundation 5

Chapter 1 The Shape of a Computer Phenomenon 7

Growing Delicious, Juicy Raspberries 7

System-on-a-Chip 10

An Exciting Credit Card-Sized Computer 12

What Does the Raspberry Pi Do? 14

Meeting and Greeting the Raspberry Pi Board 14

GPIO Pins 15

Status LEDs 16

USB Receptacles 18

Ethernet Connection 18

Audio Out 19

Composite Video 21

CSI Camera Module Connector 21

HDMI 22

Micro USB Power 22

Storage Card 23

DSI Display Connection 24

Mounting Holes 25

The Chips 25

The Future 25

Chapter 2 Recapping Computing 27

The Cook as Computer 28

Ingredients as Data 28

Basic Actions 30

The Box That Follows a Plan 31

Doing and Knowing 31

Programs are Data 32

Memory 33

Registers 34

The System Bus 36

Instruction Sets 36

Voltages, Numbers and Meaning 37

Binary: Counting in 1s and 0s 37

The Digit Shortage 40

Counting and Numbering and 0 40

Hexadecimal as a Shorthand for Binary 41

Doing Binary and Hexadecimal Arithmetic 43

Operating Systems: The Boss of the Box 44

What an Operating System Does 44

Saluting the Kernel 46

Multiple Cores 46

Chapter 3 Electronic Memory 47

There Was Memory Before There Were Computers 47

Rotating Magnetic Memory 48

Magnetic Core Memory 50

How Core Memory Works 50

Memory Access Time 52

Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) 53

Address Lines and Data Lines 54

Combining Memory Chips into Memory Systems 56

Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) 59

How DRAM Works 60

Synchronous vs. Asynchronous DRAM 62

SDRAM Columns, Rows, Banks, Ranks and DIMMs 64

DDR, DDR2 DDR3 and DDR4 SDRAM 66

Error-Corr…