A machine independent course in processor organization and assembler language programming

Abstract

Over the past three years the University of Scranton has been developing a computer science program. Since we could not hope to obtain the type of equipment, fast processors and compilers which many of the larger schools have, we developed several “canned programs” which could accept and act upon student input and give the student some degree of experience with computers which are not within our financial means. The heart of this development was a simulator we refer to as the SLIC ( S cranton's L ittle I nstructional C omputer) processor. We feel this simulator has a different purpose for its existence than some of the others which have been developed. The original purpose and the one on which we are concentrating in this paper was to give students some practical programming experience on “computers” which have different addressing schemes. We feel SLIC met this original purpose with great success. Its most important contribution to date is in the development of our course in Processor Organization and Assembler Programming. In making this course SLIC dependent, we believe we made it machine independent and as a result we feel we give our students a “feel” for computing which transcends the machine we have on campus.