Introduction to Computer Science

  1. Computer Hardware and Architecture
    1. Computer Architecture Models
      1. Von Neumann Architecture
        1. Stored-Program Concept
          1. Single Memory Space
            1. Sequential Execution
            2. Harvard Architecture
              1. Separate Instruction and Data Memory
                1. Parallel Access Benefits
                2. Modified Harvard Architecture
                3. Central Processing Unit (CPU)
                  1. CPU Components
                    1. Control Unit
                      1. Instruction Fetching
                        1. Instruction Decoding
                          1. Control Signal Generation
                          2. Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)
                            1. Arithmetic Operations
                              1. Logical Operations
                                1. Comparison Operations
                                  1. Status Flags
                                  2. Registers
                                    1. General-Purpose Registers
                                      1. Special-Purpose Registers
                                        1. Program Counter
                                          1. Instruction Register
                                            1. Memory Address Register
                                              1. Memory Data Register
                                                1. Stack Pointer
                                                  1. Status Register
                                              2. Instruction Execution Cycle
                                                1. Fetch Phase
                                                  1. Decode Phase
                                                    1. Execute Phase
                                                      1. Store Phase
                                                      2. CPU Performance Factors
                                                        1. Clock Speed
                                                          1. Instructions Per Clock
                                                            1. Pipeline Efficiency
                                                              1. Cache Hit Rates
                                                              2. Multi-Core Processors
                                                                1. Parallel Processing Concepts
                                                                  1. Core Communication
                                                                    1. Threading and Concurrency
                                                                  2. Memory Hierarchy
                                                                    1. Memory Types and Characteristics
                                                                      1. Volatility
                                                                        1. Access Speed
                                                                          1. Cost per Bit
                                                                            1. Capacity
                                                                            2. Primary Memory
                                                                              1. Random Access Memory (RAM)
                                                                                1. Dynamic RAM (DRAM)
                                                                                  1. Static RAM (SRAM)
                                                                                    1. Memory Timing
                                                                                      1. Memory Modules
                                                                                      2. Read-Only Memory (ROM)
                                                                                        1. Mask ROM
                                                                                          1. PROM
                                                                                            1. EPROM
                                                                                              1. EEPROM
                                                                                                1. Flash Memory
                                                                                              2. Cache Memory
                                                                                                1. Cache Hierarchy
                                                                                                  1. L1 Cache
                                                                                                    1. L2 Cache
                                                                                                      1. L3 Cache
                                                                                                      2. Cache Organization
                                                                                                        1. Direct Mapped
                                                                                                          1. Set Associative
                                                                                                            1. Fully Associative
                                                                                                            2. Cache Performance
                                                                                                              1. Hit Rate
                                                                                                                1. Miss Penalty
                                                                                                                  1. Locality of Reference
                                                                                                                2. Virtual Memory
                                                                                                                  1. Address Translation
                                                                                                                    1. Page Tables
                                                                                                                      1. Memory Management Unit (MMU)
                                                                                                                        1. Swapping and Paging
                                                                                                                      2. Storage Systems
                                                                                                                        1. Storage Hierarchy
                                                                                                                          1. Primary Storage
                                                                                                                            1. Secondary Storage
                                                                                                                              1. Tertiary Storage
                                                                                                                              2. Magnetic Storage
                                                                                                                                1. Hard Disk Drives (HDD)
                                                                                                                                  1. Physical Structure
                                                                                                                                    1. Data Organization
                                                                                                                                      1. Access Time Components
                                                                                                                                        1. RAID Systems
                                                                                                                                      2. Solid-State Storage
                                                                                                                                        1. Flash Memory Technology
                                                                                                                                          1. Solid-State Drives (SSD)
                                                                                                                                            1. Wear Leveling
                                                                                                                                              1. Performance Characteristics
                                                                                                                                              2. Optical Storage
                                                                                                                                                1. CD Technology
                                                                                                                                                  1. DVD Technology
                                                                                                                                                    1. Blu-ray Technology
                                                                                                                                                    2. Emerging Storage Technologies
                                                                                                                                                      1. 3D NAND Flash
                                                                                                                                                        1. Storage Class Memory
                                                                                                                                                          1. DNA Storage
                                                                                                                                                        2. Input/Output Systems
                                                                                                                                                          1. I/O Architecture
                                                                                                                                                            1. I/O Buses
                                                                                                                                                              1. I/O Controllers
                                                                                                                                                                1. Device Drivers
                                                                                                                                                                2. I/O Methods
                                                                                                                                                                  1. Programmed I/O
                                                                                                                                                                    1. Interrupt-Driven I/O
                                                                                                                                                                      1. Direct Memory Access (DMA)
                                                                                                                                                                      2. Input Devices
                                                                                                                                                                        1. Keyboard Technology
                                                                                                                                                                          1. Pointing Devices
                                                                                                                                                                            1. Touch Interfaces
                                                                                                                                                                              1. Voice Input
                                                                                                                                                                                1. Image Capture Devices
                                                                                                                                                                                2. Output Devices
                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Display Technologies
                                                                                                                                                                                    1. CRT Displays
                                                                                                                                                                                      1. LCD Displays
                                                                                                                                                                                        1. OLED Displays
                                                                                                                                                                                        2. Printing Technologies
                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Audio Output Systems
                                                                                                                                                                                          2. Communication Interfaces
                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Serial Interfaces
                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Parallel Interfaces
                                                                                                                                                                                                1. USB Standards
                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Wireless Interfaces
                                                                                                                                                                                                2. System Integration
                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Motherboard Architecture
                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Chipset Functions
                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Bus Systems
                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. System Bus
                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Memory Bus
                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. I/O Bus
                                                                                                                                                                                                            2. Expansion Slots
                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Power Distribution
                                                                                                                                                                                                              2. System Performance
                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Bottleneck Analysis
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Performance Metrics
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Benchmarking
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. System Optimization

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                                                                                                                                                                                                                  2. Data Representation and Number Systems

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                                                                                                                                                                                                                  4. Software Fundamentals