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From: steve@nuchat.UUCP (Steve Nuchia)
Newsgroups: comp.edu
Subject: Re: High Performance Computing course
Message-ID: <399@nuchat.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 15-Oct-87 13:25:17 EDT
Article-I.D.: nuchat.399
Posted: Thu Oct 15 13:25:17 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 17-Oct-87 10:41:52 EDT
References: <10409@duke.cs.duke.edu>
Distribution: na
Organization: Public Access - Houston, Tx
Lines: 37
Keywords: advanced computer architecture, course design
Summary: two books I've seen

In article <10409@duke.cs.duke.edu>, jab@duke (John A. Board) writes:
> I plan to teach a course next spring with a title like "high performance
> computing" as an excuse to learn some more about advanced computer

> 2) Is there a reasonable textbook covering some fraction of this
>    material?  Any comments on these books (I haven't seen any of them yet):
>      Supercomputer Architecture, by Paul B. Schneck, Kluwer Publishers, 1987.
>      High Performance Computer Architecture, by Stone, Addison-Wesley, 1987.

Haven't seen those, but:

	The Architecture of High Performance Computers
	Roland N. Ibbett, Springer-Verlag 1982

		Good reference for the comparative anatomy of machines
		that held the high ground through history, with particular
		attention to the design tradeoffs and the historical context
		in which they were made.  Coverage through the CRAY-1.
		Recommended for students, particularly in conjunction with
		a more theoretical text.

	Computer Architecture and Parallel Processing
	Kai Hwang and Faye Briggs, McGraw Hill 1984

		I had a class from Professor Briggs and taught a lab
		for him.  He's a sharp guy, but the book really drags.
		I haven't managed to even get started good on it.  It
		seems to have good coverage of areas the authors are
		interrested in (Briggs is into caches, for instance)
		and more perfunctory (and dry!) treatment of other
		areas.  Not recomended for students until they need
		excrutiating detail - good reference for some topics.

-- 
Steve Nuchia	    | [...] but the machine would probably be allowed no mercy.
uunet!nuchat!steve  | In other words then, if a machine is expected to be
(713) 334 6720	    | infallible, it cannot be intelligent.  - Alan Turing, 1947