Author Description

This book presents an incremental look at networked computer systems starting with digital logic and hardware, moving through the layers of software, and leading to an introduction to networking and operating systems. Its practical, modern approach draws upon areas of reader interest and experience (the Internet, Pentium processors, GUIs, mobile communications) to stimulate enthusiasm. This book uses Microsoft's Visual Developer Studio debugger (included on CD-ROM) to provide a brief experience with assembly language programming. This book features an introduction to networking since most computer systems today work in a networked environment. It takes a traditional bottom-up approach using applied technology and ideas, and treats digital logic in sufficient detail to remove the mystery of how computers work. Throughout, the author emphasizes how software performance can be dependent upon hardware features, while practical exercises demonstrate this aspect of hardware/software interaction. This book demonstrates to computer scientists and engineers how computers and their systems work, and will be especially useful for readers looking for a book covering networking issues in computer systems organization and architecture.