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ECE 201-011: Computer Architecture
TR 10:45AM-12:00PM, Spring 2004

Announcements
 Course Description
The objective of this course is to provide students with a clear understanding of the architecture and organization of modern computers, and the cost and performance tradeoffs associated with their design.  Topics to be covered will include:  computer performance, instruction sets, computer arithmetic, processor design, pipelining, memory system design
Prerequisites
ECE 33 Introduction to Computer Engineering or equivalent.

Instructor
John Spletzer (PL404A)
Office Hours:  Monday 4:30-6PM , Thursday 4:30-6PM and by appointment.

Teaching Assistant
Venkatram Muddhasani 
Office Hours:  Tuesday,  7:30-9:30 PM,  PL502

Assistant Teaching
Philip Garcia
Office Hours:  TBD

Course Materials & Links
  1. Required Text:  Computer Organization and Design:  the Hardware Software Interface, by Patterson & Hennessy, Second Edition, 1997
  2. SPIM is a self-contained simulator that will run MIPS R2000/R3000 assembly language programs.  We will employ this for some of the homework assignments.  It can be downloaded from http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~larus/spim.html
  3. Latest version of SPEC benchmarks.
  4. Last year's course web page.
  5. Tom's Hardware Guide is a classic PC hardware review forum. 
  6. This web site maintains a list of the top 500 supercomputers in the world.  X - the Apple G4 based supercomputer mentioned by a student in class - is ranked 3rd in the world.
Grading
Grading will be based on homework assignments (approximately 5), a midterm, a final, and a class project.  Students are permitted to discuss the assignment.  However, all work must be the students' own.  The tentative breakout of course grading  is as follows:
Grades will be assigned acording to the following distribution:
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A
 92-100
 C
 72-76
A-
 90-91
 C-
 70-71
B+
 87-89
 D+
 67-69
B
 82-86
 D
 62-66
B-
 80-81
 D-
 60-61
C+
 77-79
 F
 00-59

Late Policy:  Assignments are due PRIOR to class on the due date.  You can submit late (up to the NEXT CLASS TIME) ONE TIME without penalty.  Additional late submissions will NOT BE ACCEPTED.  No assignments will be accepted if over 1 class late. 

Missed Exams:  Makeup exams will only be given under extreme circumstances.

University Policy on Disabilities:  If you have a disability for which you are or may be requesting accommodations, please contact your professor and the Office of Academic Services, Room 212, University Center or call (610-758-4152) as early as possible in the semester.  University policy states that you must notify your professor seven (7) days prior to the exam.

Tentative Schedule
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DATE
 TOPICS
 NOTES
 ASSIGNMENT
20 Jan 04
 Administration and Overview (Ch. 1 P&H)
 Lecture 1
22 Jan 04
 Performance Metrics (Ch. 2 P&H) Lecture 2
27 Jan 04
29 Jan 04
03 Feb 04
 MIPS Instructions
 Lecture 3
Lecture 4
Lecture 5