Von Neumann Architecture And The EDVAC

The origin of von Neumann Architecture and the EDVAC The first description of what is now known as von Neumann Architecture was presented in a paper titled “First Draft of a Report on the EDVAC” by John von Neumann. The idea originated after John von Neumann joined a group of scientists who had detected a problem in the ENIAC’s functionality and wanted to keep developing computer technology after ENIAC’s success. The motive behind this investigation is revealed in a letter between Herman Goldstine and Col. Simon which identified the problems of the ENIAC. These problems were attributed to the task of building the ENIAC in a year and a half (Goldstine 206). There had also been some technological advances in the time period between the ENIAC …show more content…
These 5 components are the arithmetical unit, the central control unit, the memory unit, the input unit and the output unit (Goldstine 204). These are the same main components used in modern personal computers. In modern computers, the arithmetic and the central control unit are part of the CPU (Central Processing Unit); the arithmetic unit performs the logical operations and calculations while the central control unit executes instructions. The memory unit of modern computers is typically the RAM (Random Access Memory) and its function is to hold the instructions and the data to be processed. Finally, the input and output units allow the user to interact with the …show more content…
At first, computers where only used by governments and companies and carried out very specific tasks. It was von Neumann architecture that allowed computers to be used as multipurpose machines and this is basically what made computers useful to ordinary people. Computers are now used to facilitate any type of daily task, and this means that the type of tasks carried out by computers are very diverse. Without von Neumann Architecture, people would have to use a different device to carry out different types of tasks. In this sense, von Neumann architecture has also had a positive impact in the economy and environmental preservation. This is because people don’t have to buy several computers to carry out different tasks so less computers are produced reducing the amount of E-Waste. Von Neumann Architecture was so effective at addressing the problem it was designed for that it is still the norm 70 years after its invention. It is impossible to describe the dimensions of this invention as it has contributed to almost everything we have achieved with computers since 1945. Von Neumann Architecture is even more important nowadays when the diversity of tasks we carry out using computers is exponentially