Work in progress — The role of hardware and architecture in the new computer sciences

Because many computer science students see themselves as future practitioners rather than computer designers, their interest in computer architecture and hardware has been declining over the years. This trend has accelerated with the growth of multimedia, web design and computer games. In this work in progress we argue that computer architecture is still a necessary component of the curriculum. However, if it is to survive, it must change to suit today's courses. Slightly modifying the computer architecture curriculum is no longer an option; the curriculum must be transformed into a tool that serves the interests of students studying the new computing subjects. The focus must move from traditional topics such as number conversion and logic design to topics like data compression, mobile computer technology, ubiquitous computing and even steganography. The proposed course is not intended to replace all conventional computer architecture courses; it is targeted at students on multimedia-oriented courses.