Lec00 Introduction

Introduction to Computer
Engineering
ECE/CS 252, Fall 2008
Prof. Mikko Lipasti
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
University of Wisconsin – Madison
What is a
Computer?
Computers!
• Engineers and scientists of all disciplines rely on
computers for many aspects of their work
– Not just word processing, spreadsheets, CAD, etc.
– Computational methods, data mining, analysis/synthesis are
fundamental to advances in many fields
• Many of the advanced techniques used in today’s
microprocessors were invented right here at UW
• Some of the most renowned computer design
researchers in the world are on our faculty
• There is a near-100% likelihood that a Wisconsin
graduate helped design the computer or processor that
you own
1987 vs. 2008
System IBM PC/AT Nokia N95-4 Smartphone

Year 1987 2008
Cost $2000 $699 (MSRP)
Form factor ½ desktop Pocket
CPU 12 MHz 80286 332MHz ARM
Memory 512KB 128MB
Storage 20MB hard disk, 1.2MB floppy 8+ GB
Display 80x25 monochrome text 320x240 pixel color
Peripherals Keyboard Camera, phone, web
Connectivity 1200 baud dialup modem 3G, WiFi
$10 base; 60% growth
Year Salary Comments
0 $10 Base
3 $40 Still live at home
16 $18K Buy car
21 $193K Buy median house in Madison
36 $223M Need fundamentally new ways to
spend money
51 $2.5T Replace US Federal Government
Performance Growth
Unmatched by any other industry !
[John Crawford, Intel]
• Doubling every 18 months (1982-1996): 800x
– Cars travel at 44,000 mph and get 16,000 mpg
– Air travel: LA to NY in 22 seconds (MACH 800)
– Wheat yield: 80,000 bushels per acre
• Doubling every 24 months (1971-1996): 9,000x

– Cars travel at 600,000 mph, get 150,000 mpg
– Air travel: LA to NY in 2 seconds (MACH 9,000)
– Wheat yield: 900,000 bushels per acre
This Course
This course will:
• Help you understand the significance and pervasiveness
of computers in today’s society and economy
• Teach you how computers really operate and how they
are designed
• Introduce you to concepts that students in the Computer
Engineering and Computer Science degree programs
learn in depth over four years
• Prepare and motivate you for study in these degree
programs (CMPE, EE, CS)
• Counts towards GCR introduction to engineering
requirement
Go Over Web Page
http://ece252.ece.wisc.edu
Instructor & TAs
Textbook
Lecture Notes
Schedule
LC-3 Simulator
Grading
Exams
Homework
Course Outline
• Prerequisite – none
• Major topics in course
– Introduction to computers and computing
– Information representation and manipulation
– Logic elements and combinational Logic
– Sequential Logic and Memory
– Simple computer organization, design and operation
– Machine language and instruction set architecture
– Assembly language
– Programming constructs
Advice
• Textbook – read BEFORE corresponding lecture
• Homework – completed in study groups
– Will reinforce in-class coverage
– Will help you prepare for midterm exams
• Study Groups
– Groups of 3, should meet weekly, learn from each other
– Review material, complete homework assignments
– Each submitted homework should include consensus-
based statement of work
Technology
• Technology advances at astounding rate
– 19th century: attempts to build mechanical
computers
– Early 20th century: mechanical counting systems
(cash registers, etc.)
– Mid 20th century: vacuum tubes as switches
– Since: transistors, integrated circuits
• 1965: Moore’s law [Gordon Moore]
– Predicted doubling of capacity every 18 months
– Has held and will continue to hold
• Drives functionality, performance, cost
– Exponential improvement for 40 years
Applications
• Corollary to Moore’s Law:
Cost halves every two years
• Computers cost-effective for
– National security – weapons design
– Enterprise computing – banking
– Departmental computing – computer-aided design
– Personal computer – spreadsheets, email, web
– Smartphone – camera, calendar, email, web, games
– Pervasive computing – computers everywhere
• Countless industries revolutionized
Some History
Date Event Comments
1947 1st transistor Bell Labs
1958 1st IC Jack Kilby (MSEE ’50) @TI
Winner of 2000 Nobel prize
1971 1st microprocessor Intel (calculator market)
1974 Intel 4004 2300 transistors
1978 Intel 8086 29K transistors
1989 Intel 80486 1M transistors
1995 Intel Pentium Pro 5.5M transistors
2006 Intel Montecito 1.7B transistors
201x IBM 50B transistors
Abstraction and Complexity
• Abstraction helps us Application Program
manage complexity CS302
• Complex interfaces Operating System

– Specify what to do Compiler
CS537
– Hide details of how CS536
Machine Language (ISA)
ECE/CS354
 Goal: Use abstractions yet Computer Architecture
still understand details ECE/CS552
Digital Design
Scope of
ECE/CS352
this course Electronic circuits
ECE340
Computer As a Tool
• Many computers today are embedded
– Fixed functionality
– Appliance-like
– Not really programmable by end user
• Not the focus of this course!
– Instead, programmable computers
• Embedded/appliance computers still programmed!
– Learn to think of computer as a tool
• Program?
– Algorithm or set of steps that computer follows
– Human brains wired to work this way
Additional Information
• Resources for Special Help
– McBurney Center – alternative testing or other
arrangements
– Course problem consultation: Prof. Lipasti
– Broader problem consultation: advisor or counselor
• Academic Misconduct
– We really don’t expect it to happen
– Please don’t disappoint us
– Serious repercussions
• Academic record, dismissal from university
• Only hurting yourself and your future
Wrapping Up
• Readings
– Chapter 1: Welcome Aboard
• Homework 1
– Due Friday 9/12 in class (next week)
• Room changes, starting Friday:
– Lec 001 (11am) meets in CS1240
– Lec 002 (8:50am) unchanged (EH1227)
– Lec 003 (1:20pm) meets in CS1221

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Introduction to Computer

System IBM PC/AT Nokia N95-4 Smartphone

• Doubling every 24 months (1971-1996): 9,000x

• Complex interfaces Operating System

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