Department of Computer Science
 
COMS200A

Computer Architecture Course Outline 
Block 3, 1999


Introduction
The purpose of this outline is to give you some idea of what Computer 
Architecture course entails and what is required of you.


Overview
Modern computer technology requires professionals of every computing 
specialty to understand both hardware and software. The interaction 
between hardware and software at a variety of levels offers a framework 
for understanding the fundamentals of computing.

The aim of the course is to introduce the fundamental concepts of modern 
computer, its design and performance analysis at the architectural level.
 
This course carries on from the first year course Basic Computer Organization. 
It includes the study of microprocessor architectures in everyday use, 
development of the skills in assembly language programming, and achieving 
a good understanding of how programs are executed and what the relationship 
is between hardware and software.


Lectures, Tutorials, Tests and Laboratories
You are expected to attend all lectures, tutorials and your laboratory 
sessions. Tutorials and tests are scheduled in Friday afternoons from 2 to 5pm. 
You must register at the beginning of the block for one of the laboratory 
sessions in a week.


Textbook and Reference Materials
The prescribed book for this course is
  DA Patterson and JL Hennessy,
  Computer Organization & Design: The Hardware / Software Interface, 
  Morgen Kaufmann, 1994 edition or 1998 edition.
  The book is available in V.S. Book Shop. 

Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 of the prescribed book will be covered 
during lectures. The emphasis will be put on chapters 3, 4, 5 and 7.

Some other reference material:
- J.S. Warford, Computer Science, Heath, 1991.
  The content of this book is simpler than our prescribed book. 
  It was used as the prescribed book for our BCO course in 1997.
- W. Stallings, Computer Organization and Architecture, Principles of 
  Structure and Function, 3rd Edition, Macmilan Publishing Company, 1993. 
  The content of this book is simpler than our prescribed book. 
  It was used as the prescribed book for our BCO course in 1996.
- W. Stallings, Computer Organisation and Architecture, 4th edition, 
  Prentice Hall, 1996.
  The content of this book is about at the same level as our prescribed book.
- DA Patterson and JL Hennessy, 
  Computer Architecture: A quantitative Approach, 
  Morgen Kaufmann Publishers, Inc., 1994
  The content of this book is more advanced than our prescribed book.
  It has been used as the prescribed book for our Honours course.


Assessment and Mark Allocation
In this course, your performance will be assessed by 
an examination, a class test (in the second half of the block) and a number 
of tutorial tests that assess how well you understand the tutorial, assignments and laboratories.
The mark allocation for this course is as follows.

    Exam                    20%
    Class test               4%
    Tutorial/labs/tests      6%
    Total weight in CS2     30%


Consultation Times
Two hours consultation time per week has been reserved for the course, that is
Tuesday,  10:15 - 11:00am
Thursday, 10:15 - 11:00am
Outside this time period you are also welcome to see me, and I shall 
try to help you if I am free. 

Yinong Chen (yinong@cs.wits.ac.za) SH1016
July 1999