[Novalug] [OT] Ideal C Courses -- WAS The "real low level" of computers

[Jon LaBadie]

On Mon, Mar 29, 2010 at 10:32:09AM -0700, Bryan J. Smith wrote:
> A good C course should cover all the computer organization you need.
> Ideally, it makes a survey of at least three (3) ISA targets and how threading
> works on each.

Over the last 25 I've taught at least 10 different intro C courses
and a like number of "advanced" C topics courses.  All of the intro
courses have been syntax-based, meaning that "how to program" was
assumed, not taught.  Certainly they did not qualify as "good C courses"
according to the above definition.

Multi-processing/threading was not covered in any of the intro courses.
In the advanced courses that did cover the topic of threading the thrust
was "here is how to use several library routines".  Again, basically
syntax.  Any computer organization and "how threading works on ..."
at most covered a single or generic architecture.

Have you come across any intro C courses that cover computer organization
or advanced courses that meet your criteria?

Jon
-- 
Jon H. LaBadie                  jon at jgcomp.com
 JG Computing
 12027 Creekbend Drive		(703) 787-0884
 Reston, VA  20194		(703) 787-0922 (fax)