HCAW / Deep Sections

HCAW Deep Sections

Long-form study pages for How Computers Actually Work. These sections expand the guided narrative into deeper technical explanations, diagrams, command observations, and focused investigations.

Foundations

Zuse Z3 vs ENIAC mapped
Early computing paths: programmability, electronic speed, and the roots of modern execution.
EDVAC and Stored Programs mapped
How instructions became data stored in memory.
von Neumann Architecture mapped
The structural model behind stored-program computers.

Software Path

Assembly, C, UNIX, Linux mapped
How low-level execution becomes usable system software.
systemctl and systemd Open Deep Study → complete
Best first full deep-dive page: where user action enters Linux system management.
fork() and exec() Open Deep Study → complete
How a command becomes a running process.

Memory Path

Stack, Heap, mmap Open Deep Study → complete
Page Faults Open Deep Study → complete
How the CPU and kernel respond when memory is accessed.
TLB Open Deep Study → next
How the CPU speeds up virtual-to-physical address translation.

Performance Path

Cache + TLB Open Deep Study → next
How fast address translation and cache access work together.
Cache/TLB Diagnostics Open Deep Study → next
How memory pressure and cache behavior show up in real system performance.
Build Plan: Start by turning systemctl and systemd into the first standalone deep-dive page. After that, build one section at a time rather than expanding all topics at once.