COMPUTER ORGANIZATION AND ARCHITECTURE DESIGNING FOR PERFORMANCEComputer architecture
NINTH EDITION
Computer architecture refers to those attributes of a system visible to a
programmer or, put another way, those attributes that have a direct impact on
the logical execution of a program. Computer organization refers to the operational
units and their interconnections that realize the architectural specifications.
Examples of architectural attributes include the instruction set, the number of bits
used to represent various data types (e.g., numbers, characters), I/O mechanisms,
and techniques for addressing memory. Organizational attributes include those
hardware details transparent to the programmer, such as control signals; interfaces
between the computer and peripherals; and the memory technology used.