Synopsis
In this best-selling text, Mike Schneider and Judy Gersting unify and lend relevance to the topics of computer science within their proven framework of a six-layer hierarchy of abstractions. The authors begin by showing that computer science is the study of algorithms, which is the central theme of the book, then move up the next five levels of the hierarchy: hardware, virtual machine, software, applications, and ethics. Each layer in the hierarchy builds upon the ideas and concepts presented in earlier chapters. In addition to some motivational applications such as Web page design and interactive graphics, the book covers the fundamental issues of algorithms, hardware design, computer organization, system software, language models, theory of computation, and social and ethical issues of computing. Exposure to these deeper and more complex core ideas introduces students to the richness and beauty of the field and helps them appreciate the principles behind their creation and implementation. While feeling the excitement of computer science, students receive a solid grounding in the central concepts as well as in important uses of computing and information technology.
About the Authors
G. Michael Schneider is Professor Emeritus of Mathematics and Computer Science at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. He also served as a Visiting Professor of Computer Science at Columbia University in New York. His professional interests include parallel processing, computer networks, programming methodology, and computer science education. He has written many successful textbooks on software development, data structures, computer organization, and a breadth-first overview of computer science. Dr. Schneider was a member of the committee that authored the ACM/IEEE Computing Curriculum 2001. He has received Fulbright Grants to teach computer science and applied mathematics in Mauritius, Malaysia, Nepal, and Mongolia. He received his B.S. from Michigan University and his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Judith Gersting is a Professor Emeritus of Computer Science at the University of Hawaii at Hilo and at Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis, where she now teaches part-time. An experienced educator and respected professional, Dr. Gersting has written a number of leading college textbooks. Her areas of specialization include theoretical computer science and computer science education. She earned her B.S. from Stetson University and her M.A. and Ph.D. in mathematics from Arizona State University.
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