Structured Computer Organization (4th Edition)

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By Andrew S. Tanenbaum

• Publisher:   Prentice Hall
• Number Of Pages:   669
• Publication Date:   1998-10-23
• Sales Rank:   517588
• ISBN / ASIN:   0130959901
• EAN:   9780130959904
• Binding:   Hardcover
• Manufacturer:   Prentice Hall
• Studio:   Prentice Hall
• Average Rating:   3
• Total Reviews:   39

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Book Description:

This book takes a modern structured, layered approach to understanding computer systems. It's highly accessible - and it's been thoroughly updated to reflect today's most critical new technologies, including Pentium II and UltraSPARC microprocessors, Windows NT and Java Virtual Machines.Tanenbaum and Goodman present a computer as a series of layers, each one built upon the ones below it, and understandable as a separate entity. The book includes detailed coverage at the digital logic and micro-architecture levels, instruction set level, and operating system machine level, and contains a completely rewritten and updated chapter on parallel computer architecture. This new edition includes a wealth of new material about modern I/O devices, a detailed discussion of the Java Virtual Machine (including a microprogrammed implementation of a subset of a JVM), extensive coverage of multiprocessing, and much more.For all computer professionals and engineers who need an overview or introduction to computer architecture.


Date: 2005-08-14   Rating: 1
Review:
Can't understand after review it again.
This book is very vague. I found the main characteristic of Prof. Tanenbaum's book is that he likes to use abstract algebra to deliver his example. For example, in chapter 1 he talks about Languages, Levels and VM. He uses L0, L1, L2 to represent languages and M0, M1, M2 to represent virtual machine. For people already have prior knowledge of programming such as C, Java, when they read this they could easily reference to something they have already studied, but for me I still can not relate them very well. In contrast, in Randal E. Bryany & David O'Hallaron's book, the beginning of book gives out a concrete example: the C programming Language. I found the latter always work better even after took the architecture course two years later.

My point is for people who want to have clear idea of real world, you should pick another book. This book might be suitable for architecture theory(hopefully).


Date: 2004-04-17   Rating: 5
Review:
Book is fine
Ignore the other reviewers comments who are lazy and/or incapable of doing the end-chapter problems, it's amusing how many people repeated that(like parrots).
Some problems take more time and require compact understanding of concepts explained so far and some are easy, I used the book for an independent study course and it's readable, presenting a good deal of material, and includes quite funny comments in the text. I recommend it.


Date: 2004-02-12   Rating: 1
Review:
Tanenbaum needs new publisher and editors
Andrew Tanenbaum might be the best there is when it comes to the study of computers but, unless you're a "thorough geek," you'd wish other technical writers would step into the fore.
Tanenbaum's books all use the same single technique to help students remember important ideas: bold letters. That's it. You'd be hard pressed to understand the main concepts most of the times because, like a forgetful professor, he'd sometimes mention it in passing (without bold font) that you think they weren't that important. Until one pops up in one of his chapter problems, then you're through.
He does not provide any solutions at the end of his books. One gets the sense he wrote his books for the instructors/professors who are too lazy (or uncreative) to come up with their own sample problems for the students. I wish they'd write computer science books the way mathematicians write their books: They assume their students are "mathematically-challenged" so they go that extra mile to make sure the students get the point. They provide answers to odd-number problems, for one. They also make sure the layout of their books are arranged so that students don't miss the main ideas. With Tanenbaum, you'd have to dig everywhere; you don't know whether to search in the current, previous, or the following chapters for help in answering the problems.
I still have a few more semesters of computer science; I'm almost sure all the textbooks would be written by Tanenbaum (again!). I dread the thought.
So, Tanenbaum, if you're reading this: Please, please, look for another publisher and editor who would help you in the layout of your book. And please, please, provide some answers to some of your problems for the students. At over a hundred bucks, I want my money's worth!


Date: 2004-01-18   Rating: 5
Review:
The Book
Does any one know of a solution mannual for this book? The questions at the end of the book are nice and all but they are really hard to solve.


Date: 2003-11-07   Rating: 1
Review:
A very frustrating book
At times this book had some interesting points to make, but it was mostly nightmare to try to learn from. I agree with all of the previous negative reviews that mentioned the book's vagueness and lack of answers to the chapter's questions! I found myself frustrated when I repeatedly read the same page over and over again. It is possibly one of the worst text-books I have ever read. I actually read this book in my class and I received terrible grades when our tests ended up being based on those end of chapter questions without answers. When I wondered how the rest of the class got good grades, it turned out because most of the class was cheating (many got caught during the final!) and getting the answers from google searches. So maybe I learned something from this book and maybe I didn't, but I would recommend against buying it unless you have to.
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