What is the Little Man Computer ?
The Little Man Computer was created by Dr. Stuart Madnick of MIT as a model for teaching the workings of a CPU. The LMC models the working of a modern CPU, but is still simple enough to be understood and programmed by high school students. A full description of the Little Man Computer can be read at this Wikipedia page. I first came across this tool in Dr. Irv Englander’s book, The Architecture of Computer Hardware and System Software: An Information Technology Approach. In this book, Dr. Englander points out that the power of the computer essentially comes from speed and not from complexity. The Little Man Computer is a good illustration of this.
