Table of Contents
This is the detailed table of contents for
The Most Comples Machine
: A Survey of Computers and Computing
, by
David Eck
. You can also read the
preface
from the book and short
chapter summaries
.
Preface
Chapter 1. Introduction: What Computers Do
1.1. Bits, Bytes, etc.
1.2. Transistors, Gates, etc.
1.3. Instructions, Subroutines, etc.
1.4. Handling Complexity
Chapter Summary
Questions
Chapter 2. Teaching Silicon to Compute
2.1. Logical Circuitry
2.2. Arithmetic
2.3. Circuits that Remember
Chapter Summary
Questions
Chapter 3. Building a Computer
3.1. Basic Design
3.2. Fetching and Executing
3.3. Self-control
3.4. Postscript: Assembly Language
Chapter Summary
Questions
Chapter 4. Theoretical Computers
4.1. Simulation and Universality
4.2. Turing Machines
4.3. Unsolvable Problems
Chapter Summary
Questions
Chapter 5. Real Computers
5.1. A Brief History
5.2. Usable Computers
5.3. Computers and Society
Chapter Summary
Questions
Chapter 6. Programming
6.1. The Power of Names
6.2. Taking Control
6.3. Building Programs
Chapter Summary
Questions
Chapter 7. Subroutines and Recursion
7.1. Writing and Using Subroutines
7.2. Real Programs
7.3. Recursion
7.4. Postscript: Implementation Issues
Chapter Summary
Questions
Chapter 8. Real Programming Languages
8.1. Virtual Machines
8.2. The Other Half of Programming
8.3. Escape from the von Neumann Machine
Chapter Summary
Questions
Chapter 9. Applications
9.1. The Works
9.2. Off the Desktop
9.3. Postscript: Analysis of Algorithms
Chapter Summary
Questions
Chapter 10. Cooperating Computers
10.1. Programming for Parallel Processing
10.2. Multiprocessing Computers
10.3. Computer Networks
Chapter Summary
Questions
Chapter 11. Graphics
11.1. Mathematical Foundations
11.2. Realistic Images
Chapter Summary
Questions
Chapter 12. Artificial Intelligence
12.1. Good Old-fashioned Artificial Intelligence
12.2. The Philosophical Debate
12.3. AI in the World
Chapter Summary
Questions
Answers
Annotated Bibliography
Index