Details

Synopsis

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»» Taiwan

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How do programs run? It sounds like an easy question, but actually it is difficult to answer. Programmers know that the codes they write are translated into machine code and interpreted in decimal numbers, but only a few know how the CPU operates in response to program codes.
In The Mystery of How Programs Works, Hisao Yazawa provides a framework for understanding how programs run - from being loaded into memory, interpreted, to being executed by the CPU. Various concepts are dealt with in this book such as the CPU's functionality, the characteristics of decimal numbers, data types and pointers, data structure data compression, the OS/application relationship, assembly language, and hardware control methods.
Clear explanations and creative illustrations make the learning of the basics enjoyable. This is a book both for people who will be opening up and working on their computers and for programmers who want to improve their skills.

Category Level

Technology
Computer

Editorial Review

This book explains the basics of programming in a brilliant presentation. The author leads the reader step-by-step to a firm understanding of the mechanism of how programs run, with a special focus on the workings of the CPU. This is an intelligent, thorough, friendly guide to programming for both engineers and non-engineers.

Table of contents

• Chapter 1 What is the CPU for Programmers?
  
  Chapter 2 Visualizing Data in Binary Numbers
  
  Chapter 3 Why Do Computers Make Mistakes in Decimal Computation?
  
  Chapter 4 Memory Takes the Shape the User Desires
  
  Chapter 5 Close Relationship between Memory and Disk
  
  Chapter 6 Compressing Data by Yourself
  
  Chapter 7 The Environment in which Programs Run
  
  Chapter 8 The Process of Creating an Executable File from the Source File
  
  Chapter 9 Relationship between OS and Applications
  
  Chapter 10 Knowing the Program's Real Picture from Assembly Language
  
  Chapter 11 Controlling Hardware
  
  Chapter 12 How to Make Your Computer "Think"

About the Author

Hisao Yazawa was born in Ashikaga, Tochigi prefecture in 1961. He is president & CEO of Yazawa, Inc, on the advisory staff of Bunka Orient K.K. (now Grape City Inc.), and chairs and manages Dennou (computer) Writer Friendship Society. He was engaged in the manufacturing of PCs with a major electronics manufacturer, and was a programmer in a computer-software firm. Yazawa now works independently, developing and marketing packaged software. In addition to his regular job, he writes books and magazine articles about programming, and lectures in seminars and conferences.