I'm 17 and wrote this guide on how CPUs run programs • Hacker News Board

Re: I'm 17 and wrote this guide on how CPUs run programs

#171

Post by dghughes » Wed, Aug 09, 2023, 5:01 PM UTC

mckirk wrote: post #130

dghughes wrote: post #128

Going down the Rabbit Hole is fun for any subject you learn a lot. For electronics I went down the hole power, current and voltage, EMF, magnetism, ferromagnetic metals, domains (as in magnetic area no networking i.e. electron alignment), virtual electrons, physics, quantum mechanics... Similar for computers you see the high level stuff but then you can go right down to the wire level where bits are voltages +5/-5/0V…

Are there any pointers you could share on what would be a good way to go down the electronics rabbit hole? I'm great with software, but still often notice a glaring lack of knowledge when it comes to hardware topics.

Fundamentals of Electronics is what I used for a textbook or one I liked. One thing I'd strongly recommend is to brush up on your math if it's been a while. Calculus included. Electronics is very mathy!

Re: I'm 17 and wrote this guide on how CPUs run programs

#172

Post by Dwedit » Wed, Aug 09, 2023, 5:09 PM UTC

Then there's the OTHER side, Flipflops, MUXes, ALUs, register files, combinational logic, yadda yadda, then you have your CPU.

Re: I'm 17 and wrote this guide on how CPUs run programs

#173

Post by assbuttbuttass » Wed, Aug 09, 2023, 5:14 PM UTC

archmaster wrote: post #117

assbuttbuttass wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ultimately, diving deeper with only websites and articles can be quite challenging. I experienced this myself trying to learn more about the continuation passing style transformation in a compiler. No online websites or articles discussed the topic with any kind of depth. Ultimately I read the classic book "Compiling with Continuations", and it basically cleared up all my confusions. All of this is to say, don't disc…

I think you are very correct, and I don't like it. There should be more "online books" that are in depth and correct!

Agreed!

Re: I'm 17 and wrote this guide on how CPUs run programs

#174

Post by headline » Wed, Aug 09, 2023, 5:14 PM UTC

Great work!

Re: I'm 17 and wrote this guide on how CPUs run programs

#175

Post by kaycey2022 » Wed, Aug 09, 2023, 5:16 PM UTC

This is awesome with such good presentation. Well done!

I would also recommend the linux programming interface book for those looking for a very in depth introduction to this topic.

Re: I'm 17 and wrote this guide on how CPUs run programs

#176

Post by 89vision » Wed, Aug 09, 2023, 5:19 PM UTC

archmaster wrote: post #14

Hi! I'm Lexi, I wrote this article/mini-book. There's a classic question of "what happens when you load a website?", but I've always been more interested in "what happens when you run a program?". About 3 months ago, I was really annoyed at myself for not knowing how to answer that question so I decided to teach myself. I taught myself everything else I know in programming, so this should be easy, right? NOPE! Appare…

Your github is really interesting. It seems like you have a bright future ahead of you. Do great things.

Re: I'm 17 and wrote this guide on how CPUs run programs

#177

Post by rolph » Wed, Aug 09, 2023, 5:24 PM UTC

archmaster wrote: post #14

Hi! I'm Lexi, I wrote this article/mini-book. There's a classic question of "what happens when you load a website?", but I've always been more interested in "what happens when you run a program?". About 3 months ago, I was really annoyed at myself for not knowing how to answer that question so I decided to teach myself. I taught myself everything else I know in programming, so this should be easy, right? NOPE! Appare…

jealousy, thievery, exploitation, are all things that throw themselves at young talent.

be warned, here,there be dragons!

Re: I'm 17 and wrote this guide on how CPUs run programs

#178

Post by fredfoobar » Wed, Aug 09, 2023, 5:26 PM UTC

Where did you hear Linkin Park?

Re: I'm 17 and wrote this guide on how CPUs run programs

#179

Post by vmladenov » Wed, Aug 09, 2023, 5:27 PM UTC

archmaster wrote: post #117

assbuttbuttass wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ultimately, diving deeper with only websites and articles can be quite challenging. I experienced this myself trying to learn more about the continuation passing style transformation in a compiler. No online websites or articles discussed the topic with any kind of depth. Ultimately I read the classic book "Compiling with Continuations", and it basically cleared up all my confusions. All of this is to say, don't disc…

I think you are very correct, and I don't like it. There should be more "online books" that are in depth and correct!

Have a look at this one! https://github.com/angrave/SystemProgramming/wiki

It was still in development when I went, looks like they made a PDF now. https://github.com/illinois-cs241/coursebook

Re: I'm 17 and wrote this guide on how CPUs run programs

#180

Post by __MatrixMan__ » Wed, Aug 09, 2023, 5:27 PM UTC

archmaster wrote: post #14

Hi! I'm Lexi, I wrote this article/mini-book. There's a classic question of "what happens when you load a website?", but I've always been more interested in "what happens when you run a program?". About 3 months ago, I was really annoyed at myself for not knowing how to answer that question so I decided to teach myself. I taught myself everything else I know in programming, so this should be easy, right? NOPE! Appare…

I like that you pointed out the "research posture" in your first image.

A tip from somebody who is not 17: it's good to have many different research postures. Staying in one of them for too long will give you trouble later on. Took me way too long to figure this out.