<p>Single-instruction, multiple data (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIMD" rel="nofollow">SIMD</a>) and Multiple-instruction, multiple-data <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIMD" rel="nofollow">MIMD</a> architectures have one or more streams of instructions operating on more than one stream of data. These architectures have been realised by machines such as the old Crays, Vector processors, and Connection Machines, which differ significantly from Von Neumann machines as they break away from the single instruction sequence and a single data stream model. More exotic architectures have been proposed, inspired by biology such as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellular_architecture" rel="nofollow">cellular architecture</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systolic_array" rel="nofollow">systolic arrays</a>, named after analogy with the regular pumping of blood by the heart.</p>

<p>Many of the ideas of these architectures have been incorporated into modern hardware, if you consider <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-core_processor" rel="nofollow">multicore</a> architectures with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyper-threading" rel="nofollow">hyper threading</a>.</p>

<p>Formal models analogous to some of these include <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel_Random_Access_Machine" rel="nofollow">PRAM</a>, the parallel random access machine, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellular_automaton" rel="nofollow">cellular automata</a>.</p>

<p>The less general purpose these architectures are the more difficult they are to program, except for a special class of problems; for problems in this class, highly efficient implementations are possible, as the "abstractions" of the problem match the topology and other features of the architecture.</p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-11-10T08:18:28.770Z
2010-11-10T17:49:36.803Z
2010-11-10T17:49:36.803Z
Dave Clarke
<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turing_machine" rel="nofollow">Turing machine</a> is an abstract <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computational_model" rel="nofollow">computational model</a> which has its strengths and weaknesses. 
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Von_Neumann_architecture" rel="nofollow">Von Neumann architecture</a> is a way to implement it.
<strong>There are several other computational models. You can find a list of many of them <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category%3aComputational_models" rel="nofollow">here</a></strong> </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2010-11-10T07:32:53.773Z
2012-12-31T03:21:03.997Z
2012-12-31T03:21:03.997Z
Deyaa
<p>Are there other computer architectures apart from the Von Neumann /Turing architecture?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-12-31T13:53:55.260Z
Turing is not a computer architecture I think
user3162
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-11-10T06:14:48.097Z
Wikipedia suggests http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_architecture.
Is that in the right direction?
Maverick Woo
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-11-10T06:28:42.127Z
thats still based on the turing model of sequential instruction execution..  is there any model independent of Turing?
mossplix
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-11-10T06:49:40.080Z
do you mean a model of computation or an actual architecture ?
Suresh Venkat
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-11-10T07:00:02.363Z
model of computation..
mossplix
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-11-10T07:31:27.703Z
[there are many models of computation](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_of_computation), also circuits, cellular automata, branching programs, ...
Kaveh
<computability><turing-machines>
Are there other computer architectures apart fom the von neumann /turing architectures?
mossplix
# Are there other computer architectures apart fom the von neumann /turing architectures?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2010-11-10)

Are there other computer architectures apart from the Von Neumann /Turing architecture?

**Tags:** computability, turing-machines

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Wikipedia suggests http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_architecture. Is that in the right direction?  
> **username_0**: thats still based on the turing model of sequential instruction execution..  is there any model independent of Turing?  
> **username_3**: do you mean a model of computation or an actual architecture ?  
> **username_0**: model of computation..  
> **username_4**: [there are many models of computation](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_of_computation), also circuits, cellular automata, branching programs, ...  
> **username_1**: Turing is not a computer architecture I think  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_6 on 2010-11-10. Score: 12 | Accepted answer

[Turing machine](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turing_machine) is an abstract [computational model](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computational_model) which has its strengths and weaknesses.
[Von Neumann architecture](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Von_Neumann_architecture) is a way to implement it.
**There are several other computational models. You can find a list of many of them [here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category%3aComputational_models)**


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### Answer by username_5 on 2010-11-10. Score: 11

Single-instruction, multiple data ([SIMD](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIMD)) and Multiple-instruction, multiple-data [MIMD](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIMD) architectures have one or more streams of instructions operating on more than one stream of data. These architectures have been realised by machines such as the old Crays, Vector processors, and Connection Machines, which differ significantly from Von Neumann machines as they break away from the single instruction sequence and a single data stream model. More exotic architectures have been proposed, inspired by biology such as the [cellular architecture](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellular_architecture) and [systolic arrays](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systolic_array), named after analogy with the regular pumping of blood by the heart.

Many of the ideas of these architectures have been incorporated into modern hardware, if you consider [multicore](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-core_processor) architectures with [hyper threading](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyper-threading).

Formal models analogous to some of these include [PRAM](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel_Random_Access_Machine), the parallel random access machine, and [cellular automata](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellular_automaton).

The less general purpose these architectures are the more difficult they are to program, except for a special class of problems; for problems in this class, highly efficient implementations are possible, as the "abstractions" of the problem match the topology and other features of the architecture.


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