Part CVolume 1Chapters 10–14
The Machine
The processor, the memory ladder, storage, the buses and drivers that join it all up, and how we got here.
5 chapters98,635 wordsabout 7 hours reading
Part C chapters
10
Inside the CPU
You will be able to name every part inside a processor and say what it does.
20,869 words/91 min read11The Memory Hierarchy - Cache, RAM and Virtual Memory
You will be able to draw the whole memory ladder, from registers down to tape, with real sizes, real waiting times and real prices.
16,094 words/70 min read12Storage - Disks, SSDs, Flash and Filesystems
You will be able to say exactly what makes storage different from memory, and why every computer needs both.
21,035 words/91 min read13Buses, Ports, Drivers and Firmware
You will be able to point at any part of a motherboard and say what it does.
18,373 words/80 min read14The Long Road - A History of Computing Machines
You will be able to tell the story of computing from tally sticks to the machines of 2026, in order, with correct years and names.
22,264 words/97 min read