"a read transaction transfers data from memory (to either the processor or an I/O device), and a write transaction writes data to the memory. clearly, this terminology is confusing. to avoid this, we'll try to use the terms input and output ... an input operation is inputting data from the device to memory ... and an output operation is outputting data to a device..." --Computer Organization and Design, p 656

tonight while becky was being a good student and reading her computer architecture, she found this. most of the time this book doesn't explain itself near enough for me to understand what it's trying to teach me, but here, as becky said, "they treat us like kindegarteners." i don't understand how a read transaction that reads data and a write transaction that writes data is confusing. and do i need to be told that an input operation inputs and an output operation outputs? i don't know of any students who think this is a good text book even though our [so-called] professor sure thinks it is. but i guess his opinion doesn't count anymore to me - he can't teach worth anything, got his doctorate in philosophy (in other words, he's a "professor" because he couldn't get a job in his field of interest), and uses aol for his primary email account. enough said. well...i should probably get some sleep so i can wake up for this wonderful class...