Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. History: from cardboard to a computer
  3. Lesson 0. Gates from transistors: for those who start from scratch
    1. 0.1. The idea: a transistor is a switch
    2. 0.2. Building
    3. 0.3. Check
    4. Lesson 0 paste (Cmd+I)
  4. Lesson 1. The ALU and register A: a calculator on switches
    1. 1.1. The idea: one action per clock
    2. 1.2. The idea: one adder for four operations
    3. 1.3. The idea: flags are the memory of the result
    4. 1.4. Building
    5. 1.5. Checking
    6. Lesson 1 paste (Cmd+I)
  5. Lesson 2. The program counter and ROM: lights by the program
    1. 2.1. The idea: a program is a list of commands
    2. 2.2. The idea: jumps and a subroutine
    3. 2.3. Building
    4. 2.4. Checking
    5. Lesson 2 paste (Cmd+I)
  6. Lesson 3. RAM from latches: a light through memory
    1. 3.1. The idea: the address is in the command
    2. 3.2. The idea: a latch writes while it is open
    3. 3.3. The idea: memory at power-on is garbage
    4. 3.4. Building
    5. 3.5. Checking
    6. Lesson 3 paste (Cmd+I)
  7. Lesson 4. Loops and conditions: multiplication by repeated addition
    1. 4.1. The idea: a counter down to zero
    2. 4.2. The program
    3. 4.3. Checking
  8. Lesson 5. The IO wire and the card tester: echo
    1. 5.1. The idea: one wire for two
    2. 5.2. The idea: a byte bit by bit
    3. 5.3. The idea: the "exchange — wait" lamp
    4. 5.4. Building
    5. 5.5. Checking
    6. Lesson 5 paste (Cmd+I)
  9. Lesson 6. Personal data and the try counter: the card checks the PIN
    1. 6.1. The idea: the identity is in transistors
    2. 6.2. The idea: tries that are not erased
    3. 6.3. Building
    4. 6.4. Checking
    5. Lesson 6 paste (Cmd+I)
  10. Lesson 7. The card program: challenge-response
    1. 7.1. The idea: a secret that never leaves
    2. 7.2. The idea: a long answer in two commands
    3. 7.3. The program
    4. 7.4. Checking
  11. Lesson 8. The card — into a chip with 8 legs
    1. 8.1. The idea: a card is what is inside
    2. 8.2. The idea: two cards — one program
    3. 8.3. Building
    4. 8.4. Checking
    5. Lesson 8 paste (Cmd+I)
  12. Summary
  13. All the parts
  14. Instructions in pictures