{"product_id":"how-computers-really-work-a-hands-on-guide-to-the-inner-workings-of-the-machine-9781718500662","title":"How Computers Really Work: A Hands-On Guide to the Inner Workings of the Machine","description":"\u003cb\u003eAn approachable, hands-on guide to understanding how computers work, from low-level circuits to high-level code.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eHow Computers Really Work\u003c\/i\u003e is a hands-on guide to the computing ecosystem: everything from circuits to memory and clock signals, machine code, programming languages, operating systems, and the internet. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBut you won't just read about these concepts, you'll test your knowledge with exercises, and practice what you learn with 41 optional hands-on projects. Build digital circuits, craft a guessing game, convert decimal numbers to binary, examine virtual memory usage, run your own web server, and more. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eExplore concepts like how to: \u003cbr\u003e\u003cli\u003eThink like a software engineer as you use data to describe a real world concept\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eUse Ohm's and Kirchhoff's laws to analyze an electrical circuit\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eThink like a computer as you practice binary addition and execute a program in your mind, step-by-step\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe book's projects will have you translate your learning into action, as you: \u003cbr\u003e\u003cli\u003eLearn how to use a multimeter to measure resistance, current, and voltage\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eBuild a half adder to see how logical operations in hardware can be combined to perform useful functions\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eWrite a program in assembly language, then examine the resulting machine code\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eLearn to use a debugger, disassemble code, and hack a program to change its behavior without changing the source code\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eUse a port scanner to see which internet ports your computer has open\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eRun your own server and get a solid crash course on how the web works\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnd since a picture is worth a thousand bytes, chapters are filled with detailed diagrams and illustrations to help clarify technical complexities. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eRequirements: \u003c\/b\u003eThe projects require a variety of hardware - electronics projects need a breadboard, power supply, and various circuit components; software projects are performed on a Raspberry Pi. Appendix B contains a complete list. Even if you skip the projects, the book's major concepts are clearly presented in the main text.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMatthew Justice\u003c\/b\u003e, a software engineer, spent 17 years at Microsoft where his work included debugging the Windows kernel, developing automated fixes, and leading a team of engineers building diagnostic tools and services. He has worked on everything from low-level software to high-level web applications.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"No Starch Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50650279346450,"sku":"9781718500662","price":28.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_edfe4e24-225d-42ea-9eab-901c50fe464c.jpg?v=1733285202","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/how-computers-really-work-a-hands-on-guide-to-the-inner-workings-of-the-machine-9781718500662","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}