Von Neumann architecture / Turing machine

Von Neumann architecture, also known as the von Neumann model or Princeton architecture, is a computer architecture designed by John von Neumann in 1945, which serves as the basis for most modern computers today [1][2][4][5]. This architecture comprises a processing unit that includes an arithmetic logic unit and processor registers, and a control unit with an instruction register and program counter [1][2].

One of the key features of the Von Neumann architecture is its stored-program concept [5]. This concept allows programs and data to be stored in a separate storage unit, which can be accessed by the processing unit. This novel idea meant that a computer built with this architecture would be much easier to reprogram [5].

The Von Neumann architecture is characterized by a single, centralized control unit that is housed in the central processing unit [3]. This feature has had a significant impact on popular programming languages [3]. The architecture also follows a fetch-decode-execute cycle, which describes how a processor functions [4].

In conclusion, Von Neumann architecture is a computer architecture designed by John von Neumann in 1945 that has served as the basis for most modern computers. This architecture comprises a processing unit and a control unit and is characterized by a stored-program concept, a single, centralized control unit, and a fetch-decode-execute cycle. Its impact on popular programming languages has been immense [1][2][3][4][5].

----

A Turing machine is an abstract mathematical model of computation that manipulates symbols on a strip of tape according to a set of rules [1]. This machine was introduced by the English mathematician and logician Alan Turing in 1936, as a tool to recognize undecidable propositions or statements that cannot be shown to be either true or false within a given formal axiom system [2]. The Turing machine can be supplied with a one-way infinite and one-dimensional tape divided into squares, where each square can hold a single symbol drawn from a finite set of symbols [3]. The machine is capable of performing any computer algorithm and provides a powerful computational model for solving problems in computer science and testing the limits of computation [1][5]. Alan Turing was highly influential in the development of theoretical computer science and is known for providing a formalization of the concepts of algorithm and computation with the Turing machine [4].