But how Do it Know?: The Basic Principles of Computers for Everyone

J. Clark Scott

Jan 2009 · John C Scott

About this ebook

This book thoroughly explains how computers work. It starts by fully examining a NAND gate, then goes on to build every piece and part of a small, fully operational computer. The necessity and use of codes is presented in parallel with the apprioriate pieces of hardware. The book can be easily understood by anyone whether they have a technical background or not. It could be used as a textbook.

Ratings and reviews

This book has been a good experience and an turning point in my life which I am sure will benefit me forever!! It affected my coding a lot!

I am a student in high school on a mission to learn more about computers, so I can one day get a job designing them. I watched countless videos on YouTube and went to my local library and book store to find more info about them. Finally I found this book and it was every thing I was looking for! It explains complicated processes in computers so that anyone can understand them. I promise you that if you read this book just once you will have an A-Hah moment once you finally realize just how that black box on your desk does what it does.

I uses the principles from this book to create my own 8-bit computer in Minecraft. Only got to the ALU then released Redstone can't act at an omnidirectional data bus so I gave up. But epic book and very detailed.

About the author

 J. Clark Scott has had a long and diverse career in the computer industry, starting with building computers and their parts at companies such as Intel and IBM. Eventually he graduated to writing consumer software, with four nationally marketed titles to his credit. He noticed how confused some of his friends were about computers and gave them lectures to teach them how simple the basics really are. It was at that time that the idea for this book was born.