Text:

The Essentials of Computer Organization And Architecture, Null, 2006.

Fundamentals of Embedded Software - Where C and Assembly Meet, Lewis, 2002 (optional).

Course Goals:
This course is designed to introduce

- programming a computer in its native tongue (assembly),

- the internal organization of computers (& how it affects performance),

- how to design a computer (out of gates).

Grades:

There will be weekly quizzes and homework (including a project), two midterms, and one final. The evaluation scheme is roughly as follows:

weekly quizzes and homework:	30% total
2 midterms:	30% total
project:	10%
final:	30%
class participation:	taken into account if necessary.

Policies:

• For details (e.g. assignments, due dates), check class homepage regularly.
• Students may collaborate with another classmate on programming homeworks unless otherwise directed. The partner's name must be included with the submitted materials. Quizzes and exams must be done independently.
• Stated deadlines for assignments are firm. Late assignments will be penalized, 10% per day.
• No make-up exams. Special arrangements can only be made in case of documented medical emergencies.
• Play by the rules. There are "Academic Integrity Policies and Procedures."
• If you have a disability that may impact your academic performance, you may request accommodations by submitting documentation to the Student Support Services Office in the Albany Quadrangle (x7156). After you have submitted documentation and filled out paperwork there for the current semester requesting accommodations, staff in that office will notify me of the accommodations for which you are eligible.
• Here is what I expect from students: You will treat everyone in the class, including the professor, with the respect due to all human beings. You will attend every class, give full attention to the material, and conduct yourself in an appropriate manner. You will agree to do the work outlined in the syllabus (or web page) on time. You will acknowledge that previous academic preparation (e.g. CS and math courses) can affect your performance in this course. You will acknowledge that your perception of effort, by itself, is not enough to justify a distinguished grade. You will not plagiarize or otherwise steal the work of others. You will not make excuses for your failure to do what you ought. You will accept the consequences of your actions.
• Here is what you can expect from me: I will treat you with the respect due to all human beings. I will know your name and treat you as an individual. I will not discriminate against you on the basis of your identity or your well-informed viewpoints. I will manage the class in a professional manner; that may include educating you in appropriate behavior. I will prepare carefully for every class. I will begin and end class on time. I will teach only in areas of my professional expertise. If I do not know something, I will say so. I will conduct scholarly research and publication with the aim of making myself a more informed teacher. I will return your assignments quickly with detailed feedback. I will pursue the maximum punishment for plagiarism, cheating, and other violations of academic integrity. I will keep careful records of your attendance, performance, and progress. I will investigate every excuse for nonattendance of classes and noncompletion of assignments. I will provide you with professional support and write recommendations for you if appropriate. I will be honest with you. Your grade will reflect the quality of your work and nothing else. I am interested in your feedback about the class, but I am more interested in what you learned than how you feel.
  (The last two paragraphs are adapted from Thomas H. Benton, The Chronicle of Higher Education, June 9, 2006.)

Schedule:

Midterm 1 will be about chapter 1 to 3, midterm 2 will be about chapters 4 and 5. Then we'll study selected material from chapters 6 to 11.