• Re: Code curosity - long, technical, and probably boring!

    From Mark Conrad@NoMailAccepted@invalid.com to comp.sys.mac.system on Sunday, April 16, 2006 09:56:43
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

    In article <mipaine-3B87BB.22574606122005@comcast.dca.giganews.com>, G.
    Michael Paine <mipaine@comcast.net> wrote:

    Now I just need to find a very simple explanation of just what a microprocessor does and how. I know, Good luck, right? And after that an idiot's explanation of just what the OS does.

    I am not trying to be a smart-ass, but you are starting to dive into a complicated realm where one question will lead to another, making you
    very confused.

    That said, let's start out simple.

    From my Mac's built in dictionary/thesauras -

    microprocessor - noun
    "An integrated circuit that contains all the functions of a central processing unit of a computer."


    My next lookup...

    cpu - (abbreviation for central processing unit)
    "The part of a computer in which operations are controlled and
    executed."


    (meaning just math' "operations")


    I warned you, we are not any smarter now than when we started.<g>



    On a very over-simplified level, a cpu is merely capable of adding ones
    and zeroes.

    Everything else springs from this ability to add ones and zeroes.

    Even subtraction is accomplished by the ability of a cpu to add ones
    and zeroes.

    The subtraction technique is called "twos complement", which reduces subtraction to an addition operation.

    Multiplication is done by repeated addition.

    Division is done by repeated subtraction.



    Everything in a program is reduced to simple math' calculations in the
    cpu, assisted by the cpu's support chips of registers, control
    circuits, etc. All are located inside one integrated-circuit part
    called a "microprocessor".


    All this complexity is why computer nerds are such weird people.



    Back to the Mac's built in dictionary/thesauras -

    operating system - noun
    "The software that supports a computer's basic functions, such as scheduling tasks, executing applications, and controlling peripherals."

    Now wasn't that easy, now you know about OSs. ;-)



    Very early kit-assembled computers for hobby use just had switches and
    lights, but no OS. It took a major effort to hook those early
    "computers" up to a monitor and keypad, with the associated circuitry
    to utilize the monitor and keypad.

    The keypad replaced the hand-operated switches.

    The monitor display replaced the lights.

    Naturally, being there was no software OS, you could not use
    "different" monitors or keypads.

    I do not recall when the first disk drives appeared. I am old enough
    to remember clearly that paper tape was often used for storage, also
    heavy stacks of stiff paper cards with small rectangular holes punched
    in them were used for storage, by outfits like IBM. (punch cards)

    One of my first computers used an ordinary voice tape recorder for the
    storage of data.

    Mark-
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  • From Mark Conrad@NoMailAccepted@invalid.com to comp.sys.mac.system on Sunday, April 16, 2006 10:11:09
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

    In article <160420060257056172%NoMailAccepted@invalid.com>, Mark Conrad <NoMailAccepted@invalid.com> wrote:

    Whoops -

    Sorry about that, folks. This is a long dead thread, from four months
    ago. Did not dawn on me until too late, after I sent a reply.

    Oh well, wonder what senility has in store for me next :-\

    Mark-
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  • From Tom Stiller@tomstiller@comcast.net to comp.sys.mac.system on Sunday, April 16, 2006 07:37:36
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

    In article <160420060257056172%NoMailAccepted@invalid.com>,
    Mark Conrad <NoMailAccepted@invalid.com> wrote:


    On a very over-simplified level, a cpu is merely capable of adding ones
    and zeroes.

    Everything else springs from this ability to add ones and zeroes.


    You forgot "shift", "test" and "choose alternate path".

    Even subtraction is accomplished by the ability of a cpu to add ones
    and zeroes.

    The subtraction technique is called "twos complement", which reduces subtraction to an addition operation.

    Multiplication is done by repeated addition.

    Division is done by repeated subtraction.

    Shifting is equally important in both operations.

    --
    Tom Stiller

    PGP fingerprint = 5108 DDB2 9761 EDE5 E7E3
    7BDA 71ED 6496 99C0 C7CF
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