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Wanting to learn about CPUs

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May 18, 2014 9:18:25 AM

Hello all,

I'm just wondering if any of you are aware of some sites or videos or free online classes (maybe from Khan or iTunes U) from which I could learn more about CPUs. I just finished watching videos for CompTIA prep, but they don't really go extremely in-depth, I guess that's because IT doesn't need to be so in-depth in the first place. Anyway, I'm wanting to learn all I can about these little pieces of hardware. I'm planning on beginning a pursuit of a Computer Engineering degree this next Fall so I know that through that major I'm going to learn quite a bit about it, but I guess I'm just getting impatient and really wanting to learn about it myself.

When I look up CPUs, I get so overwhelmed by all of the different characteristics that they all have that I have no idea what to think of all of it, and I would love to be able to read about CPUs and understand exactly what they are made with and what they are capable of. Anyway, if anybody here has any wisdom they would care to bestow upon me, it would be much obliged!

Thanks to those of you for taking the time to at least read through this!

- Ring

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May 18, 2014 7:29:11 PM

Good luck on your journey. I am a certified tech and I do not know everything buy one thing I learned in school
is "that when all else fails Google It. There is also a lot of info on this site.
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a b à CPUs
May 18, 2014 7:42:48 PM

so do you want to understand them from a hardware design or software design perspective?

All CPUs are different, with different interfaces, functions and peripheral support. You need to learn the common stuff first, like registers, data, addressing, memory etc.
Once you understand all the technical jargon, then you need to ready the manufacturers application sheet for the relevant CPU, which can be 1000's pages.

You'll be able to get the basic concepts off the internet, but if you could understand CPUs in detail with a few weeks of online searching, then you wouldn't need a degree and years of experience!
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May 19, 2014 8:49:22 AM

I appreciate the answer! It makes me excited and further assured that my decision to pursue Computer Engineering is a wise one. I'll look forward to doing the basic research online, but I'm looking even more forward to learning the deeper stuff over the next however-many years!
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May 19, 2014 12:40:50 PM

I am happy to see your enthusiasm for the computer science field and I think you will do well there. Some good suggestions have already been given. One comment that I have is that you might want to study Assembly language. Once you understand Assembly language, you will know how a CPU thinks. I was fortunate in that the local technical college had two courses available (Microprocessors 1 and Microprocessors 2) where Assembly language was studied in good detail. You might also find some online training for Assembly language. If nothing else, I am sure you will be exposed to Assembly language concepts in your upcoming computer courses this fall.
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