The CPU Shanty¶
TTTO “Haul Away for Rosie”, traditional – to get the tune, <a href=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpLYKkfw_D8&feature=related”>there’s a video on YouTube</a>
Now, in the old days, shanties were used to synchronize sailors on various areas of the boat doing the heavy hauling. Nowadays, the CPU sends ticks to synch up the various parts in the computer. Here’s how I imagine lyrics to those ticks would go.
Word, get the word, add it to the last one
Word, get the word, add it to the last one, oh
Word, get the word, add it to the last one, oh
The program it is loaded now
And now I start to run it
Word, get the word, add it to the last one, oh
It is so long, I go to work
I read it to the last bit
Word, get the word, add it to the last one, oh
Word, get the word, add it to the last one
Word, get the word, add it to the last one, oh
So many bytes, so many words
All needing execution
Word…
And I will get to rest in peace
When I have the solution
Word…
From CPU to APU
The bits and bytes are rolling
Word…
The clock now must be accurate
The ticks it be controlling
Word…
To add, divide and multiply
Transistors running current
Word…
With pipeline to speed up the bus
Instructions are concurrent
Word…
Word…