7 - System Design of GP Computers

Abstract

This chapter discusses the factors affecting the elements of system designs of a general purpose type of digital computer. In the design of a general purpose type of digital computer, one of the first decisions to be made relates to the choice of arithmetic, logical, and information transfer operations to be built into the machine, that is, made available to the user as a single instruction. An important consideration is the expected frequency of use of an operation in problems to be solved by the computer. Subsequently, in the early stages of planning a computer, a number of important decisions must be made upon which the eventual design will largely depend. Four important basic considerations are (1) number and type of instructions to be included in the machine's repertory; (2) size and type of main store; (3) format of words for representing instructions and data; and (4) nature of the control unit.