Learning outcomes:

Students are able

• to describe the basic concepts in technical computer science,
• to solve simple calculation problems (from areas like numeral systems, memory hierarchy, networks) on their own,
• to understand simple assembly programs and are able to modify such programs,
• to analyze basic digital circuits,
• to describe the implementation of a simple processor and modern computer systems and are able to reproduce the processing of single commands,
• to describe the interaction between hardware and software.

The following topics are covered:

• Computer architecture
• Representation of numbers in computers
• Boolean algebra and digital electronics
• Addressing modes, instruction sets and pipelining
• Memory hierarchy design
• Input, output and peripheral devices
• Computer networks
• System software

Learning activities in this course will comprise lectures, homework assignments which will be presented and graded during classes, and two written exams. Exercises include

• Sample calculations (Number systems, memory hierarchy, networks)
• Small assembly programs (to analyze and to modify)
• Digital circuits
• Datapath examples (e.g. decoding of commands)
• Pipelining
• Theoretical questions concerning the hardware software interface and operating system support

Preliminary meeting and first lecture: Wednesday, March 6th 2019 (entrance 01:00 p.m., start of lecture 01:15 p.m.)

Workload estimation (ECTS breakdown): 75 hours = 3 ECTS

• Lecture time (20 hours)
• Written exams (2 hours)
• Presentation of homework exercises (10 hours)
• Preperation of homework (25 hours)
• Post processing of lectures and preperation of exams (18 hours)

All information, course material and the assignments for the homework exercises will be provided in the TUWEL-course related to this course.

For further questions please contact: Stefan.Podlipnig@tuwien.ac.at

To pass the course successfully it is required to solve a certain number of homework exercises, and to get a positive assessment for the presentation of solved homework exercises during classes. In addition, the sum of the best two tests (out of three) has to excel a certain threshold. The test examples resemble the examples from the exercises.

Course registration is mandatory to attend the class.

Propositional calculus, programming skills (e.g. Java)