# Preface This compendium tries to explain the essence of the course. The information provided is largely based on the course book "Structured Computer Organization" and the lecture slides. Please note that this compendium is written by students, so please be critical to what you read. Anyone is allowed to edit this compendium, so feel free to make improvements. # Von Neumann Architecture Von Neumann architecture : Computer systems are built up from three types of components: processors, memories, and I/O devices. CPU (Central Processing Unit) : The part of the computer that fetches instrucitons one at a time from a memory, decodes them, and executes them. Memory : The part of the computer where programs and data are stored. I/O (Input/output) devices : The parts of the computer used to transfer information into and out of the processor and main memory. # Processors The __CPU (Central Procssing Unit)__ is the "brain of the comptuer. Its function is to execute programs stored in the main memory by fetching their instrucitons, examining them, and then executing them one after another. The components are connected by a __bus__, which is a collection of parallell wires for transmitting address, data, and control signals. Buses can be external to the CPU, connecting it to memory and I/O dvices, but also internal to the CPU. The CPU is composed of several distinct parts. The control unit

The arithmetic logic unit