The Art of Computer Programming, Volume 1, Fascicle 1: MMIX -- A RISC Computer for the New Millennium (Paperback)

~ Donald E. Knuth (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This multivolume work on the analysis of algorithms has long been recognized as the definitive description of classical computer science. The three complete volumes published to date already comprise a unique and invaluable resource in programming theory and practice. Countless readers have spoken about the profound personal influence of Knuth's writings. Scientists have marveled at the beauty and elegance of his analysis, while practicing programmers have successfully applied his "cookbook" solutions to their day-to-day problems. All have admired Knuth for the breadth, clarity, accuracy, and good humor found in his books. To begin the fourth and later volumes of the set, and to update parts of the existing three, Knuth has created a series of small books called fascicles, which will be published t regular intervals. Each fascicle will encompass a section or more of wholly new or evised material. Ultimately, the content of these fascicles will be rolled up into the comprehensive, final versions of each volume, and the enormous undertaking that began in 1962 will be complete. Volume 1, Fascicle 1 This first fascicle updates The Art of Computer Programming, Volume 1, Third Edition: Fundamental Algorithms, and ultimately will become part of the fourth edition of that book. Specifically, it provides a programmer's introduction to the long-awaited MMIX, a RISC-based computer that replaces the original MIX, and describes the MMIX assembly language. The fascicle also presents new material on subroutines, coroutines, and interpretive routines.

From the Back Cover

This multivolume work on the analysis of algorithms has long been recognized as the definitive description of classical computer science. The three complete volumes published to date already comprise a unique and invaluable resource in programming theory and practice. Countless readers have spoken about the profound personal influence of Knuth's writings. Scientists have marveled at the beauty and elegance of his analysis, while practicing programmers have successfully applied his "cookbook" solutions to their day-to-day problems. All have admired Knuth for the breadth, clarity, accuracy, and good humor found in his books.

To begin the fourth and later volumes of the set, and to update parts of the existing three, Knuth has created a series of small books called fascicles, which will be published t regular intervals. Each fascicle will encompass a section or more of wholly new or evised material. Ultimately, the content of these fascicles will be rolled up into the comprehensive, final versions of each volume, and the enormous undertaking that began in 1962 will be complete.

Volume 1, Fascicle 1

This first fascicle updates The Art of Computer Programming, Volume 1, Third Edition: Fundamental Algorithms, and ultimately will become part of the fourth edition of that book. Specifically, it provides a programmer's introduction to the long-awaited MMIX, a RISC-based computer that replaces the original MIX, and describes the MMIX assembly language. The fascicle also presents new material on subroutines, coroutines, and interpretive routines.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional; 1 edition (February 24, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201853922
• ISBN-13: 978-0201853926
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #392,678 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Reminds me of chess, May 8, 2005

By	W Boudville (Terra, Sol 3) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Decades ago, when Knuth wrote the first edition of his classic Art of Computer Programming, he invented an assembly language in which to implement the many algorithms of the books. He called it MIX. It was quite representative of the actual assemblers of the time [late 60s]. But time and Moore's Law marched on. The 8 bit nature of MIX grew increasingly outdated.

In response, Knuth gives us here a massively upgraded version, called MMIX. It operates on 64 bit wide data. Yay! Still a classic von Neumann architecture, mind you. But very spiffy. MMIX also has 256 general purpose registers and 32 special purpose registers, where these all are 64 bits wide, naturally. Plus, MMIX lives in an address space of 2**64 bytes of memory.

Unlike the Intel or AMD chips, which are CISC, Knuth opted for a RISC MMIX. So learning the opcodes is very rapid, if you have dealt with assemblers before.

This little text gets you up to speed in MMIX. Consider it as prep for the full volume 4, when that comes out. [Prof. Knuth, it's late.]

But this MMIX book is utterly unlike any other assembler book. It comes replete with programming problems (and answers) of considerable intellectual heft. Conventional assembler books simply don't do this. Their problems tend to be mundane and trivial. This book lets you find surprising conceptual depths hidden under a deceptively simple language. Compare this to chess.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Don't Program Without it!, June 2, 2008

By	J. E. Sherman "L.A. Reader" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Three classic volumes from Donald Knuth. I have the 3rd edition. Once your get pass understanding MIX ( MMIX, 4th edition), it is a great technical read. Bring so much to Computer Science. I used them in school. I use them today.

7 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic text on Comp Sci, March 18, 2005

By	Eric Kent (USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

The Art of Computer Programming is a classic from Professor Knuth.

this is required CS reading and should be required for every programmer.