Petzold C. Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software

2nd edition. — Microsoft Press, 2022. — 644 p.The classic guide to how computers work, updated with new chapters and interactive graphics.Computers are everywhere --- most obviously in our laptops and smartphones, but also in our cars, televisions, microwave ovens, alarm clocks, robot vacuum cleaners, and other smart appliances. Have you ever wondered what goes on inside these devices to make our lives easier but occasionally more infuriating?For more than 20 years, readers have delighted in Charles Petzold's illuminating story of the secret inner life of computers, and now he has revised it for this new age of computing. Cleverly illustrated and easy to understand, this is the book that cracks the mystery. You'll discover what flashlights, black cats, seesaws, and the ride of Paul Revere can teach you about computing --- and how human ingenuity and our compulsion to communicate have shaped every electronic device we use.This new expanded edition explores more deeply the bit-by-bit, gate-by-gate construction of the heart of every smart device — the central processing unit that combines the simplest of basic operations to perform the most complex of feats. Along with new chapters, Petzold created a new website, CodeHiddenLanguage.com, that uses animated interactive graphics to make computers even easier to comprehend.From the simple ticking of clocks to the worldwide hum of the internet, Code reveals the essence of the digital revolution.The Companion Website.
The People Responsible.
And Finally.
Pearson’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Best Friends.
Codes and Combinations.
Braille and Binary Codes.
Anatomy of a Flashlight.
Communicating Around Corners.
Logic with Switches.
Telegraphs and Relays.
Relays and Gates.
Our Ten Digits.
Alternative 10s.
Bit by Bit by Bit.
Bytes and Hexadecimal.
From ASCII to Unicode.
Adding with Logic Gates.
Is This for Real?
But What About Subtraction?
Feedback and Flip-Flops.
Let’s Build a Clock!
An Assemblage of Memory.
Automating Arithmetic.
The Arithmetic Logic Unit.
Registers and Busses.
CPU Control Signals.
Loops, Jumps, and Calls.
Peripherals.
The Operating System.
Coding.
The World Brain.Colophon.
Code Snippets.