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 Post subject: From the People Who Brought You Kosmicjelli
PostPosted: Thu Dec 02, 2010 3:34 am 
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The key point to understanding how a computer works is the concept of abstraction, that there are a multitude of layers of functionality that are built upon each other like bricks in a tower. Semiconductors are etched and treated (or "doped") to form circuits that redirect electrons in specific patterns. These circuits are packaged as ASIC's and Microprocessors (called "chips") and interconnected by buses and traces on a PCB (called a motherboard) in order to implement machine code. Then other PCB's which are designed to comply to some physical interface standard (eg. ATA, AGP, PCI) are inserted into the motherboard, where the Microprocessor can interact with them. These boards are managed by sets of machine code called device drivers (eg. VXD, WDM, SYS) which run in a specially privileged execution mode (e.g. kernel mode, ring 0) designed to allow the OS to manage these. Then as other blocks of machine code called applications and processes run on your system and call the OS API in order to use the system devices, the OS takes turns processing each requests to share devices. When multiple computers are connected across large networks to share processing and data, centralized software components on a server (e.g. COM, RPC, Quake 3) process remote requests. In this way, each layer provides a service to the layer above and below it to make the amazing machine we call the 'Personal Computer
-Anonymous Intel Engineer


That's Not True!Machines

The first computers were machines. Punch cards, vacuum tubes, and big rooms filled with wires. They could do math at high speed, count things, and sort records, but that was about all. A long way from modern computers, eh? That's because today, computers aren't machines, they are magic. A modern computer is a magic box filled with ceremonial components that traps in a little evil spirit who is forced to work for you.

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 Post subject: Re: From the People Who Brought You Kosmicjelli
PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2010 5:50 pm 
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When the Power of Love overcomes the Love of Power, the World will know Peace. - Jimi Hendrix


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 Post subject: Re: From the People Who Brought You Kosmicjelli
PostPosted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 12:36 am 
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lennythetent wrote:
my boredom doesn't have a window


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 Post subject: Re: From the People Who Brought You Kosmicjelli
PostPosted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 9:44 pm 
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withoutrings wrote:
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:shock:

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 Post subject: Re: From the People Who Brought You Kosmicjelli
PostPosted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 4:40 pm 
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withoutrings wrote:
The key point to understanding how a computer works is the concept of abstraction, that there are a multitude of layers of functionality that are built upon each other like bricks in a tower. Semiconductors are etched and treated (or "doped") to form circuits that redirect electrons in specific patterns. These circuits are packaged as ASIC's and Microprocessors (called "chips") and interconnected by buses and traces on a PCB (called a motherboard) in order to implement machine code. Then other PCB's which are designed to comply to some physical interface standard (eg. ATA, AGP, PCI) are inserted into the motherboard, where the Microprocessor can interact with them. These boards are managed by sets of machine code called device drivers (eg. VXD, WDM, SYS) which run in a specially privileged execution mode (e.g. kernel mode, ring 0) designed to allow the OS to manage these. Then as other blocks of machine code called applications and processes run on your system and call the OS API in order to use the system devices, the OS takes turns processing each requests to share devices. When multiple computers are connected across large networks to share processing and data, centralized software components on a server (e.g. COM, RPC, Quake 3) process remote requests. In this way, each layer provides a service to the layer above and below it to make the amazing machine we call the 'Personal Computer
-Anonymous Intel Engineer


That's Not True!Machines

The first computers were machines. Punch cards, vacuum tubes, and big rooms filled with wires. They could do math at high speed, count things, and sort records, but that was about all. A long way from modern computers, eh? That's because today, computers aren't machines, they are magic. A modern computer is a magic box filled with ceremonial components that traps in a little evil spirit who is forced to work for you.

fairly close to how the universe works

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Last visit was: Wed Dec 31, 1969 7:00 pm
It is currently Wed Oct 22, 2008 6:43 am
When the Power of Love overcomes the Love of Power, the World will know Peace. - Jimi Hendrix


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