Computer Science, Modeling Modern Software and Hardware on an Abacus

Computer Science, Modeling Modern Software and Hardware on an Abacus

• one way to understand all issues of programing language and its design, or anything about cpu, gpu, memory, compiler, function, array, etc, is to model it on an abacus.

• e.g. in order to understand what is programing language closure, or is C's main function necessary, what they do, or why array access is constant (is it? why?), we can look at abacus model.

• For example, a mathematician's view of what does programing means:

• We write a program, in a programing language, which is a language to specify algorithms, which is a sequence of step-by-step instructions, and this, is run on a specific machine.
• (think of an abacus as machine, and a language that says column n move bead 3 up/down as the programing language. A list of such instructions as the source code.)

• here, we got the machine, the algo, described in a programing language, written as source code.

• But in order to explain what c main does, it gets quite complicated, we need to expand our abacus, with a designated range of columns as memory space,
• and storage location for program location, on the abacus.

• We also need bootstrap location convention, so when the abacus is on, that that bootstrap location code runs.
• We also need a on off switch, e.g. A location on abacus, that when it is 1, the bootstrap start to run.
• basically, we need to define an operating system for the abacus.

• and since the abacus stores just binary, we also need a compiler that translate our high-level programing language instructions of moving the n column bead up/down, to a binary sequence. i.e. we need a machine language for the abacus.

• in summary, we need at least:
• Instruction Set Architecture (ISA)
• machine language and or assembly.
• compiler
• operating system

Grok Ai Design of Abacus Computer

grok, can you create a specification of a model of modern hardware and software, based on abacus? see https://x.com/xah_lee/status/1974903893982339449

• answer
• https://x.com/i/grok/share/Zi71pEhc1Ytvs7RnIz04C8wjO

• Abacus hardware consists of 1024 columns, each with 10 beads representing binary digits from 0 to 9 in base-10 emulation for decimal operations.
• Each column serves as a memory address, holding a 64-bit value through bead positions encoding binary states.
• A designated bootstrap column at address 0x0000 stores the initial instruction pointer, set to 1 upon power-on to trigger execution.
• Power-on switch activates a master row that propagates signals across columns, simulating clock cycles at 1 Hz for sequential bead movements.
• Instruction Set Architecture defines 32 core opcodes: LOAD (fetch bead value to accumulator), STORE (set bead position), ADD (increment beads in target column), SUB (decrement), JMP (shift instruction pointer), CMP (compare accumulator to column), HALT (reset bootstrap to 0).
• Opcodes encode in 8-bit binary: LOAD as 00000001, followed by 16-bit address; total instruction size 24 bits, fitting three columns.
• Machine language uses binary bead patterns: high bead up for 1, down for 0; assembly mnemonics like "LOAD A, #5" translate to bead shifts in sequence.
• Compiler translates high-level code—such as "x = y + 3"—into assembly via lexical analysis, then to binary by scanning source top-to-bottom and emitting bead-move sequences.
• Operating system kernel occupies columns 0x0100 to 0x01FF, handling interrupt simulation via a dedicated error column that halts on overflow.
• Kernel loader scans for main symbol in binary, relocates it to bootstrap address, then releases execution by setting instruction pointer.
• Multi-tasking emulates via time-slicing: kernel alternates pointer between task columns every 10 cycles, using a priority bead row.
• File system models persistent storage as fixed bead grooves in auxiliary abacus slabs, loaded via mechanical sliders into main memory columns.
• Graphics output connects to a display abacus with LED beads, where GPU emulation renders by parallel bead shifts across 32 column groups.