CISC 6200: Computer Elements and Architecture

General information

Faculty: Dr. A. G. Werschulz

• Office: Rm 815D.
• Phone: (212) 636-6325

Office hours:

• Mondays 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
• Wednesdays 2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
• Thursdays 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
• (or by appointment).

Class meetings: Wednesdays, 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., in Room 914.

Class email list: arch-grad STRUDEL dsm.fordham.edu (Note that STRUDEL is a thinly-disguised @, to thwart the amount of spam that your instructor receives in his guise of list manager). This can be used for both announcements and discussion.

Text and Readings

Patterson and Hennessy, Computer Organization and Design: The Hardware/Software Interface, Fourth Edition, Revised Printing (Morgan Kaufmann, 2012).

Page xvii of the text provides two paths through the book; one focuses on software, whereas the other focuses on hardware.. We'll be following the software path. Moreover, the author provides several "levels of importance" for each path. Bowing to the exigencies of time, I will cover the "read carefully" material in class; if time permits, we'll cover the "review or read" material. We will not be covering any of the material on the CD-ROM.

This means that we will be covering the following (with "all" meaning all material in the text, but no material in the CD-ROM):

• Chapters 1, 2: all
• Chapter 3: all
• Chapter 4: Sections 4.1, 4.5, 4.10, 4.11
• Chapter 5: all
• Chapter 6: all
• Chapter 7: all

This text has a CD-ROM with additional information. Although this CD-ROM works fine under MacOS and Windows, it doesn't work properly under Fedora 16 Linux. As a public service (and with the kind permission of the publisher), I am providing you with the contents of the the CD-ROM on this website.

The book has a few errors, which are listed in the book's errata sheet. If you find more, let me know.

Grading

• Attendance: 10%
• Homework: 40%
• One midterm exam: 25%
• One final exam: 25%

Protocol

• Examinations:There will be one midterm examination, which will be on Wednesday, February 27. The final examination will be on Wednesday, May 1. Both exams will take place during the usual class period, in the usual location.
• Homeworks: I will assign homework problems on a weekly basis; each assignment can be found on the class website. These assignments will be due in the class session following the one in which they were assigned. I will return your papers in the next class session, along with a complete set of solutions. I expect that we will spend a considerable amount of time (perhaps as much as a third of any given class session) reviewing the homework, as necessary.
• Attendance: All students are expected to attend all classes and participate in the class. Because this course is far more abstract and theoretical than other computer science courses, participation is especially important. Hence, I will take attendance in class. You will lose attendance credit if you show up more than ten minutes late. If you wish an absence to be excused for anything other than a true emergency, you must contact me before class (phone or email); in case of an emergency, you will need to contact me as soon as possible.

Additional Remarks

• You are encouraged to download the overhead slides for the text.
• You should download the class syllabus.
• You should read the following documents:
  • Cheating policy
  • Makeup exam policy

If you believe that you have a disabling condition that may interfere with your ability to participate in the activities, coursework, or assessment of the object of this course, you may be entitled to accommodations. If so, please schedule an appointment to speak with me immediately or you may go to the Office of Disability Services (LL207, x6282). Under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, all students, with or without disabilities, are entitled to equal access to the programs and activities of Fordham University.