Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/jisuanji-xitong
As a budding programmer, have you ever wondered what happens under the hood when your C code magically transforms into something your computer can actually execute? Or perhaps why a simple memory error can lead to a catastrophic system crash? If these questions have crossed your mind, then ‘计算机系统基础（一） ：程序的表示、转换与链接’ (Fundamentals of Computer Systems (I): Program Representation, Translation, and Linking) on Coursera is the course for you.
This comprehensive course, taught in Mandarin with English subtitles, offers a fascinating journey into the heart of computer systems, viewed from a programmer’s perspective. It meticulously breaks down how high-level language constructs like data types, operations, statements, and procedure calls are implemented in the underlying machine.
The syllabus is structured logically, starting with the foundational ‘Representation’ of data and instructions. You’ll learn how integers (signed and unsigned), floating-point numbers, arrays, and structures are laid out in memory and registers. The course also delves into instruction formats and memory addressing, giving you a tangible understanding of how your code occupies space and is interpreted by the hardware.
Next, the ‘Translation’ phase illuminates the intricate mapping between high-level programming statements – including loops, conditionals, and function calls – and their corresponding machine-level code. This section is crucial for understanding how your familiar programming constructs are translated into the language of the processor.
Finally, the ‘Linking’ module tackles the process of combining multiple pieces of code into a single executable program. You’ll explore how relocatable object files are linked together, and how the final executable is loaded into the system for execution. This covers essential concepts like symbol tables, static and dynamic linking, and the role of shared libraries.
What truly sets this course apart is its ability to bridge the gap between abstract programming concepts and concrete hardware execution. By the end of this course, you’ll have a profound understanding of how data is represented and manipulated in a machine, the structure of machine-level code for control statements, and the intricacies of linking multiple programs. This knowledge directly translates into enhanced debugging skills, improved program performance, better code portability, and more robust software development. It lays an indispensable groundwork for more advanced courses in computer architecture, operating systems, and compiler design.
If you’re looking to truly master your craft as a programmer and gain a deeper appreciation for the systems you work with, ‘计算机系统基础（一） ：程序的表示、转换与链接’ is an absolute must-take. It’s an investment in your foundational knowledge that will pay dividends throughout your programming career.
Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/jisuanji-xitong