Help me understand what goes on in a CPU.

[MadMojoMonkey]

If you say:
int x = 5;
x = x + 3

Then you are talking in a high level programming language.
The CPU would not understand anything, it would need an interpreter* or a compiler.
*(this may sound like an analogy but it is actually an application for an interpeted programming language)

I knew that... at some point... I keep forgetting how far away I am from a programming language that I actually understand.
That's the point of the thread, though.

To understand the CPU better try looking at the state of the art micro computing from 1975 with the Altair 8800
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EV1ki6LiEmg

This was immensely helpful, thanks for the link.