You can read all about hardware on Wikipedia.

Though I'm not sure it will help you with C++. C++ hides all the complicated stuff from you like memory paging and caches and stuff. Unless you're writing a kernel (which you shouldn't be until you're much more experienced), you won't be programming directly on the hardware. Being able to visualize a linear memory model should be enough to get you started programming.

Hi Wendrowyek, there is a lot you can do with C++. I dived into C++ nearly two years ago thru DGDK, which was a great way to ease into the language. My skills have evolve greatly, exceeding those of DGDK, but, I still rely on Cplusplus.com to constantly refresh my understanding of the C++ concepts. I will say that it can be a lonely road for you as a C++ Programmer unless you get involve with a active project like this one.

How does one go about learning basics of hardware, as it applies to coding?

I'm not sure what about hardware you want to learn. Are you interested in learning how graphics hardware works (ie OpenGL or DirectX), or are you interested in learning about how the CPU handles instructions (Assembly language?). Possibly you are interested in learning about memory management (stacks and heaps)

many of the concepts require me, to have a little understanding about hardware (especially memory so far).
So, How does one go about learning basics of hardware, as it applies to coding? I'm not a student, never took computer classes, and just a hobbyist for now.

Classes would probably help. A lot.

It is old and out dated, but frankly people just don't cover off system programming anymore these days. Anyways, way back when I was in school I picked up PC Interns which is now in its 6th edition. It shows extremely low level programming from a systems perspective. The edition I had ( well over a decade old ) covered things like physically writing to a hard drive, direct programming of a video card, IO card interfacing, etc... There are not many books of this kind. Then again, there is not much need for these kinds of books either, especially since modern OSes actually lock you away from dealing with hardware directly. Even though I would almost never apply any of the knowledge I picked up from this book day to day, I learned a ton of nitty gritty details about how a computer works.


As to all progammers being anti-social, no, not really but in all honestly there are a lot, and many with malformed social graces and it shows. On the other hand, there are many "normal" well adjusted people as well, especially once you start working in a professional capacity.

Am I correct to assume, that programmers are all anti-social? (;

Heck no. At best I might know one or two programmers that are asocial, but none that are antisocial.
The majority of programmers may be introverted, but you couldn't really say much more than that.