12 Computer Architecture and Organization
QUICKSAND CORNER
I still remember when I was asked to write my
rst high level language program by my teacher,
he said ‘Now write a program to add two integers,
like seven and ve’. Using pencil and paper I had
been able to utilize my newly acquired program-
ming skill in form of the following instructions:
SUM = 7 + 5
PRINT SUM
END
Immediately understanding my unique program-
ming knowledge my teacher patiently explained
that any program must be a general one and I should
use variables in place of 7 and 5 and add steps to
read those variables from keyboard as inputs.
The moral of the story is: Just like a program
must be capable in dealing with any type of data
set and not a dedicated one, similarly a computer
must be able to execute any user program and
should be a general purpose machine. Just by
observing at a keyboard and CRT terminal, the
reader should not mistake the unit as a computer.
It might be innocent-looking input and monitoring
devices for a rolling display sign board!!
REVIEW QUESTIONS
Target the Correct Option
1. Who was the rst person to invent mechanical
calculating machine?
(a) Babbage (c) Von Neumann
(b) Pascal (d) none of these
2. Who invented differential engine?
(a) Babbage (c) Von Neumann
(b) Pascal (d) none of these
3. What was the original purpose of fabrication
of ENIAC?
(a) Commercial (c) Military
(b) Academic (d) none of these
4. The rst computer from IBM was made
with
(a) vacuum tubes (c) ICs
(b) transistors (d) none of these
5. PDP-1 computer was manufactured by
(a) IBM (c) CDC
(b) DEC (d) none of these
6. What was the major contribution of PDP-8?
(a) 12-bit memory (c) Omnibus
(b) parallel processing (d) none of these
7. System/360 from IBM was the rst one to
offer
(a) different models (c) GUI
(b) Intel processors (d) none of these
8. Microcontrollers contain inside the chip
(a) solar cells (c) multiple CPUs
(b) complete computer (d) none of these
9. Personal computers are characterized for their
capability of performing excellent
(a) number crunching (c) networking
(b) high speed I/O (d) none of these
10. Mainframes computers are characterized for
their massive
(a) storage space (c) printers
(b) graphics terminals (d) none of these
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Introduction 13
1. De ne computer architecture and computer
organization.
2. What was the limitation of the rst mechani-
cal calculating machine?
3. How the number system was represented in
ENIAC?
4. What was the specialty of the IAS machine?
5. What are the differences between a super
computer and a mainframe?
6. Out of computer architecture and computer
organization, which one has undergone more
changes with respect to time? What may be
the reason for this?
7. How does a workstation differ from a per-
sonal computer?
8. Which organization introduced 4004 micro-
processor? When was it introduced?
9. What was the major problem of ENIAC
and who did solve it resulting in IAS
computer?
10. What is Moore’s law? What do you think
about its validity?
Find in Few Seconds
Spend Some Time Here
1. Why was IBM initially reluctant to enter the
computer market?
2. Which invention, according to you, created
more impact in computer industry, Transistors
or Integrated circuits? Justify your answer.
3. Which factor is more responsible for enhanc-
ing the speed of modern computers?
4. Prepare a list of microprocessors/processors
used in different computers. How many of
these processors are known to you?
5. Name a few operating systems known to you.
How many of these operating systems were
used by you?
6. How earlier computers performed without
any operating system?
7. How many embedded systems you can iden-
tify around you in your daily life? Prepare a
list of those embedded systems.
8. What is meant by smart cards?
9. Why 6600 was faster than IBM 7094?
10. What do you imagine about computers after
50 or 100 years from now?
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