Book excerpt: Computers as Components, Second Edition, updates the first book to bring essential knowledge on embedded systems technology and techniques under a single cover. This edition has been updated to the state-of-the-art by reworking and expanding performance analysis with more examples and exercises, and coverage of electronic systems now focuses on the latest applications. It gives a more comprehensive view of multiprocessors including VLIW and superscalar architectures as well as more detail about power consumption. There is also more advanced treatment of all the components of the system as well as in-depth coverage of networks, reconfigurable systems, hardware-software co-design, security, and program analysis. It presents an updated discussion of current industry development software including Linux and Windows CE. The new edition's case studies cover SHARC DSP with the TI C5000 and C6000 series, and real-world applications such as DVD players and cell phones. Researchers, students, and savvy professionals schooled in hardware or software design, will value Wayne Wolf's integrated engineering design approach. * Uses real processors (ARM processor and TI C55x DSP) to demonstrate both technology and techniques...Shows readers how to apply principles to actual design practice.* Covers all necessary topics with emphasis on actual design practice...Realistic introduction to the state-of-the-art for both students and practitioners.* Stresses necessary fundamentals which can be applied to evolving technologies...helps readers gain facility to design large, complex embedded systems that actually work.