Podcast
Questions and Answers
Why is it important to understand how a computer works at a low level?
Why is it important to understand how a computer works at a low level?
- It improves the quality of high-level programming languages
- It helps in understanding the motivation behind certain approaches in computer science (correct)
- It simplifies the process of learning high-level programming languages
- It makes coding more casual and accessible
What is the consequence of not knowing the low-level details of a machine when coding?
What is the consequence of not knowing the low-level details of a machine when coding?
- Enhanced user satisfaction with software
- Increased efficiency in software engineering
- Strict enforcement of coding standards
- Low code quality and high tolerance for it (correct)
Why have high-level programming languages been designed to abstract from low-level machine details?
Why have high-level programming languages been designed to abstract from low-level machine details?
- To make coding more casual and accessible
- To remove the need for understanding the machine (correct)
- To encourage low code quality
- To simplify the learning process for programmers
What has been the trend in teaching coding to people in terms of understanding the machine?
What has been the trend in teaching coding to people in terms of understanding the machine?
Why are electrical, mechanical, and civil engineers mentioned in comparison to software engineers?
Why are electrical, mechanical, and civil engineers mentioned in comparison to software engineers?
What is the main disadvantage of the von Neumann architecture?
What is the main disadvantage of the von Neumann architecture?
What is the key advantage of a von Neumann machine over Harvard architecture?
What is the key advantage of a von Neumann machine over Harvard architecture?
What is the main advantage of the Harvard architecture over a von Neumann machine?
What is the main advantage of the Harvard architecture over a von Neumann machine?
Why is the memory bus referred to as the von Neumann bottleneck?
Why is the memory bus referred to as the von Neumann bottleneck?
How does a von Neumann machine address the issue of addressing code and data in memory?
How does a von Neumann machine address the issue of addressing code and data in memory?
Why does it usually take multiple RISC instructions to do what a single CISC instruction does?
Why does it usually take multiple RISC instructions to do what a single CISC instruction does?
What is one of the advantages of RISC over CISC architecture?
What is one of the advantages of RISC over CISC architecture?
Why are most smartphones, tablets, and computers embedded in non-computer devices RISC machines?
Why are most smartphones, tablets, and computers embedded in non-computer devices RISC machines?
What sets the RISC-V ISA apart from other RISC architectures?
What sets the RISC-V ISA apart from other RISC architectures?
Why is the RISC architecture chosen as the model for the text's discussion?
Why is the RISC architecture chosen as the model for the text's discussion?
What distinguishes a 64-bit machine word from a word in the context of RISC-V architecture?
What distinguishes a 64-bit machine word from a word in the context of RISC-V architecture?
How does the number of instructions in RISC architecture compare to CISC architecture?
How does the number of instructions in RISC architecture compare to CISC architecture?
What does an instruction set architecture (ISA) provide in relation to programming a machine?
What does an instruction set architecture (ISA) provide in relation to programming a machine?
Why are RISC instructions considered different from CISC instructions?
Why are RISC instructions considered different from CISC instructions?
In what way does the von Neumann architecture differ from the Harvard architecture?
In what way does the von Neumann architecture differ from the Harvard architecture?
