Computer Organization and Architecture: Designing for Performance [Paperback]

William Stallings (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 013359985X | ISBN-13: 978-0133599855 | Publication Date: August 17, 1995 | Edition: 4

This text provides a comprehensive presentation of the organization and architecture of modern-day computers, emphasizing both fundamental principles and the critical role of performance in driving computer design. The text conveys concepts through examples highlighting modern CISC and RISC systems. This edition captures recent innovations and improvements, while maintaining a broad, all-inclusive perspective of the entire field.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Stallings provides a clear, comprehensive presentation of the organization and architecture of modern-day computers, emphasizing both fundamental principles and the critical role of performance in driving computer design. The text conveys concepts through a wealth of concrete examples highlighting modern CISC and RISC systems. The Fourth Edition captures recent innovations and improvements, while maintaining a broad, all-inclusive perspective of the entire field.

From the Back Cover

Awarded the Texty Award by theTextbook and Academic AuthorsAssociation for the best Computer Science and Engineering textbook of 1996. This is the fourth edition of the best selling Computer Organization and Architecture book by well known author Bill Stallings. It is an excellent book and has been widely used as a professional reference book on computer organization and architecture.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 682 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall; 4 edition (August 17, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 013359985X
• ISBN-13: 978-0133599855
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.4 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #671,195 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars If you don't already know it, you won't learn it here, December 8, 2006

By 

Richard Christopher "Alex" (St. Louis, MO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Computer Organization and Architecture: Designing for Performance (7th Edition) (Hardcover)

This is not a textbook for the beginner. This is probably not even a textbook for an intermediate. At best, this book is only useful as a reference for those people who are already very familiar with the material.

The text and the power point slides available on the website do contain useful information. However, the problems at the end of each chapter are totally indecipherable. They relate only vaguely to the material presented in the chapter. The questions are very specific about information not even hinted at in the text or in the slides.

There are several cases where large flowcharts and connection diagrams are presented with only a general explanation. The parts of the computer currently being examined are named and their general functions are briefly described. The problems then ask very specific questions about the inner workings of computer electronic components. There is absolutely no information given anywhere that in any way relates to solving these problems. The reader is asked to figure it all out on his or her own. There are exactly zero examples.

I would not recommend this book for an undergraduate student under any circumstances. It may be useful for a graduate student in computer engineering or a professional designing computer circuitry.

Otherwise, avoid this book at all costs.

This book is now in its 7th edition. The website notes that four editions, including this one, have been given the "Best Computer Science and Engineering Textbook of the Year" award by the Textbook and Academic Authors Association. The website mentions nothing about what the students thought of it.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Decent text, lame exercises, April 19, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Computer Organization and Architecture: Designing for Performance (5th Edition) (Hardcover)

I am sort of in between all the other reviwers on this one. The text seems okay for a intro. into the subject. There is enough information to teach a class and I assume it _is_ designed for someone with little to no previous knowledge in computer architecture. Although it sure does help when they hit assembly language instructions in chapter 3!

That's why it's so confusing when you hit the exercises in the back of each chapter. Where did these come from? Very little of it can be answered by reading the book, the teacher of my class was only able to answer the questions due to experience outside of the field. Most of the answers start with "it depends on . . ." and the answers really didn't come from anywhere in the book. Most of the questions are trick questions and this isn't a way to teach, but it is a way to confuse the reader. I guess I'm reviewing the book in the same way the book reads. Sorry. And sorry to anyone required to use this text!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars obviously not edited well, July 22, 2003

By 

Paul Chung Min Ha (Diamond Bar, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Computer Organization and Architecture (Hardcover)

First of all, this book is a very dry read; extremely boring. The concepts aren't very clear and the book as a whole is unorganized; the first chapters refer to things in later chapters and makes everything hard to comprehend. The questions in the back of the chapters are difficult to ansewr because the content of the chapters don't help in answering them. In addition, there is a countless amount of spelling errors and numerical errors in the book. And this is the 6th edition of the book!! I expected so much more from this!! It makes me angry that this book is so bad. The cover is nice though if you get the hardcover edition, but i suggest getting the cheaper international edition because there are no color diagrams in the entire book. What a waste of 100 dollars!!