CEA

A key characteristic of a bus is that it is not a shared transmission medium. True False

False

A microcomputer architecture and organization relationship is not very close. True False

False

A vacuum tube is a solid-state device made from silicon. True False

False

An I/O module cannot exchange data directly with the processor. True False

False

Changes in computer technology are finally slowing down. True False

False

Computer organization refers to attributes of a system visible to the programmer. True False

False

Historically the distinction between architecture and organization has not been an important one. True False

False

Interrupts do not improve processing efficiency. True False

False

It is not possible to connect I/O controllers directly onto the system bus. True False

False

System software was introduced in the third generation of computers. True False

False

The Intel x86 evolved from RISC design principles and is used in embedded systems. True False

False

The major drawback of the EDVAC was that it had to be programmed manually by setting switches and plugging and unplugging cables. True False

False

The unit of transfer at the link layer is a phit and the unit transfer at the physical layer is a flit. True False

False

The variety of computer products is exhibited only in cost. True False

False

The world's first general-purpose electronic digital computer was designed and constructed at The Ohio State University. True False

False

When data are moved over longer distances, to or from a remote device, the process is known as data transport. True False

False

With asynchronous timing the occurrence of events on the bus is determined by a clock. True False

False

A common measure of performance for a processor is the rate at which instructions are executed, expressed as billions of instructions per seconds (BIPS). True False

True

A computer must be able to process, store, move, and control data. True False

True

A key requirement for PCIe is high capacity to support the needs of higher data rate I/O devices such as Gigabit Ethernet. True False

True

A particular architecture may span many years and encompass a number of different computer models, its organization changing with changing technology. True False

True

A wafer is made of silicon and is broken up into chips which consists of many gates and/or memory cells plus a number of input and output attachment points. True False

True

At a top level, a computer consists of CPU, memory, and I/O components. True False

True

Backward compatible means that the programs written for the older machines can be executed on the new machine. True False

True

Because all devices on a synchronous bus are tied to a fixed clock rate, the system cannot take advantage of advances in device performance. True False

True

Both the structure and functioning of a computer are, in essence, simple. True False

True

Changes in technology not only influence organization but also result in the introduction of more powerful and more complex architectures. True False

True

Computer systems contain a number of different buses that provide pathways between components at various levels of the computer system hierarchy. True False

True

Computers are classified into generations based on the fundamental hardware technology employed. True False

True

Designers wrestle with the challenge of balancing processor performance with that of main memory and other computer components. True False

True

IBM's System/360 was the industry's first planned family of computers. True False

True

In general, the more devices attached to the bus, the greater the bus length and hence the greater the propagation delay. True False

True

Intel's 4004 was the first chip to contain all of the components of a CPU on a single chip. True False

True

Interfaces between the computer and peripherals is an example of an organizational attribute. True False

True

John Mauchly and John Eckert designed the ENIAC. True False

True

No single technology is optimal in satisfying the memory requirements for a computer system. True False

True

Program execution consists of repeating the process of instruction fetch and instruction execution. True False

True

The IAS is the prototype of all subsequent general-purpose computers. True False

True

The IAS operates by repetitively performing an instruction cycle. True False

True

The basic function of a computer is to execute programs. True False

True

The hierarchical nature of complex systems is essential to both their design and their description. True False

True

The method of using the same lines for multiple purposes is known as time multiplexing. True False

True

The number of bits used to represent various data types is an example of an architectural attribute. True False

True

The textbook for this course is about the structure and function of computers. True False

True

There is a tremendous variety of products, from single-chip microcomputers costing a few dollars to supercomputers costing tens of millions of dollars that can rightly claim the name "computer". a. true b. false

True

Timing refers to the way in which events are coordinated on the bus. True False

True