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Topic: problems with the von Neumann architecture
topics >
computer science >
computer hardware >
computer as state machine
Topic:
functional programming
Topic:
state machine
Topic:
von Neumann computer
Summary
The machine state of 'von Neumann' computers and associated languages is changed incrementally by locally determined information. Backus in his Turing award paper observes that incremental state changes require computing and communicating many addresses. He calls the channel between memory and the CPU the 'von Neumann' bottleneck, and proposes reduction machines as an alternative. Practical reduction machines may become possible with VLSI architecture in which the discrete components of 'von Neumann' computers are difficult to implement efficiently. (cbb 5/80)
Subtopic: languages tied to memory, local state
Quote: the 'von Neumann bottleneck' is the channel between the CPU and memory [»backJ8_1978a] Quote: languages should avoid the 'von Neumann' model of a global memory manipulated by sequential execution; bottleneck between control unit and memory [»ackeWB_1979] Quote: in von Neumann architectures much of memory traffic is for finding data Quote: in a von Neumann computer, most transistors do nothing most the time; only for memory [»hillWD_1985] Quote: programming is basically planning and detailing the enormous traffic of words through the von Neumann bottleneck [»backJ8_1978a]
Subtopic: abandon the model
Quote: conventional programming languages are modeled on the 'von Neumann' computer [»backJ8_1978a] Quote: the state of an Algol program is modified by an 'enormous cable' of specialized 'wires' for every statement type [»backJ8_1978a] Quote: von Neumann languages provide an immense framework and limited changeable parts [»backJ8_1978a] Quote: von Neumann languages must have their semantics closely coupled to the state; every computational detail changes the state Quote: with 'von Neumann' languages can not modify the state as a whole [»backJ8_1978a]
Quote: could increase usefulness of VLSI by abandoning the 'von Neumann' architecture
[»ackeWB_1979]
Topic: computer as state machine (20 items)
Topic: functional programming (45 items)
Topic: state machine (67 items)
Topic: von Neumann computer
(14 items)