An Overview of How a Computer Works
The best way to describe a mechanism as complex as a computer is to begin with a quick overview, sort of an orientation. This allows you to get a sense of the general flow of operations, making it easier to put the individual pieces in context as they appear. The difficulty with this approach, of course, is that you will encounter in this quick introduction some terms and concepts that may not be completely clear right away. Since the overview can't explain everything in depth—that would defeat the purpose—this section will include a number of the "Tech Talks" that are used throughout the book to explain key terms. If that's not enough, remember that more detailed explanations will follow quickly.
What Happens ...
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