Abstract
The concept of microprogramming was introduced by Wilkes [WILKM51] a quarter of a century ago, but it took more than a decade of technological developments (the advent of low-cost, high-speed ROS) to bring it to the stage of an applied concept [HUSSS70]. The interest in microprogramming has increased markedly during the past years with the introduction of the low-cost, high-density LSI memory chips. Current trends in microprogramming include user microprogrammable systems, high-level language interpreters, operating systems, microprocessors, and special applications [JONEL74, FLYNM75, JONEL75, AGRAA76]. Although microprogramming has been widely accepted as a valid approach to the design of computer systems, it is still practiced by a limited number of professionals only, due to the cloak of secrecy held over this technology by major computer manufacturers [JONEL74]. The position of microprogramming in the computer science and engineering curriculum remains obscure [MULDM75]. We feel that this is partially due to the problem in teaching about microprogramming. Currently there does not exist a well established theory of microprogramming and therefore most technical articles on this subject are based on examples and case studies. The three books on microprogramming [HUSSS70, AGRAA76, SALIA76] are satisfactory in providing a set of basic principles and many case studies, but difficulties in understanding are encountered when a specific system is introduced with all its software, firmware and hardware complexity. The student can identify the major elements, but finds it difficult (in many cases impossible) to understand how the basic principles have been transformed into the results displayed before him. Existing literature rarely covers the design objectives and the design tradeoffs which in fact determine the final product of an implemented computer system (a good example is [BUCHW62]). As a result of this situation, we have experienced a serious difficulty in our effort to close the gap between understanding the basic principles and the ability to absorb the characteristics of existing systems.
- AGRAA76 Agrawala, A. K. and Rauscher, T. G., Foundations of Microprogramming, ACM Monograph Series, Academic Press, 1976.Google Scholar
- BUCHW68 Bucholtz, W., "Planning a Computer System", McGraw Hill, 1962. Google Scholar
Digital Library
- COHED73 Cohen, D., Microprogramming Techniques for the Realization of Complex Functions, M.S. Thesis, Department of Electrical Engineering, Technion - I.I.T., May 1973.Google Scholar
- FLYNM75 Flynn, M. J., "Microprogramming -- Another Look at Internal Computer Control", Proceedings IEEE, Vol. 63, No. 11, pp. 1554--1567, November 1975.Google Scholar
Cross Ref
- HILLF73 Hill, F. J. and Peterson, G. R., Digital Systems: Hardware Organization and Designs, Wiley, 1973. Google Scholar
Digital Library
- HUSSS70 Husson, S. S., Microprogramming: Principles and Practices, Prentice Hall, 1970.Google Scholar
- IVERK62 Iverson, K. E., A Programming Language, Wiley, 1962. Google Scholar
Digital Library
- JONEL74 Jones, L. H. and R. E. Merwin, "Trends in Microprogramming: A Second Reading", IEEE Trans. on Computers, Vol. C-23, No. 8, pp. 754--759, August 1974.Google Scholar
- JONEL75 Jones, L. H., "A Survey of Current Work in Microprogramming", Computer, pp. 33--37, August 1975.Google Scholar
- MULDM75 Mulder, M. C., "Model Curricula for Four-Year Computer Science and Engineering Programs: Bridging the Tar Pit", Computer, pp. 28--33, December 1975.Google Scholar
- ROSEA71 Rose, A. J. and Gilman, L., APL, An Interactive Approach, Wiley, 1971.Google Scholar
- ROSIF69 Rosin, F. R., "Contemporary Concepts of Microprogramming and Emulation", Computing Surveys, Vol. 1, No. 4, pp. 197--212, December 1969. Google Scholar
Digital Library
- SALIA76 Salisburg, A. B., Microprogrammable Computer Architectures, Elsevier, 1976. Google Scholar
Digital Library
- WILKM51 Wilkes, M. V., "The Best Way to Design an Automatic Calculating Machine", Manchester University Computer Inaugural Conference, Manchester, England, p. 16, July 1951.Google Scholar
- WILKM69 Wilkes, M. V., "The Growth of Interest in Microprogramming", Computer Surveys, Vol. 1, No. 3, pp. 139--145, September 1969. Google Scholar
Digital Library
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