About "Build Your Own Computer - From Scratch"


"Build Your Own Computer - From Scratch" (BYOC-FS) by Richard Whipple is an Amazon Kindle published book.  In this book, I begin with first principles (AND, OR, and NOT logic) and carry out a basic computer design finishing with a working computer using a FPGA.  A knowledge of computer science or electronics is not needed to follow along.  Each step relies on supplied information and simple reasoning.  Whether novice or computer professional, knowing how a computer works allows you to apply reason to its use and take full advantage of its capabilities.  The book is available using these links:

Paperback Kindle E-Book

The BYOC CPU's instruction set is similar to the early INTEL 8080 microprocessor.  For this reason, following up the book Build Your Own Computer with Front Panel Project experiments is an excellent idea.  While the book gives you a hardware perspective, the online experimentation focuses on software INTEL 8080 machine code.  In addition, the Front Panel Project leads to programming a modern ATMEL microprocessor, the ATMega 328.  Get started here.

 To download design data and software referenced in the book, click here than download the "BYOC-K-master.zip" file.  Extract the files to a convenient folder then follow the links below to utilize the code.

  1. Logisim Design - The BYOC CPU circuit code BYOC-16_Ver_9A
  2. FPGA Design - Intel Quartus Archive of Cyclone V FPGA BYOC CPU project
  3. Excel Assembler for Logisim - Excel assembler for the Logisim BYOC CPU design
  4. Excel Assembler for FPGA - Excel assembler for the Intel Cyclone V FPGA BYOC CPU design