The von Neumann Model of the PC

Computers have their roots 300 years back in history. Mathematicians and philosophers like Pascal, Leibnitz, Babbage and Boole made the foundation with their theoretical works. Only in the second half of this century was electronic science sufficiently developed to make practical use of their theories.

The modern PC has roots that go back to the USA in the 1940s. Among the many scientists, I like to remember John von Neumann (1903-57). He was a mathematician, born in Hungary. We can still use his computer design today. He broke computer hardware down in five primary parts:

1. CPU
2. Input
3. Output
4. Working memory
5. Permanent memory

Actually, von Neumann was the first to design a computer with a working memory (what we today call RAM). If we apply his model to current PCs, it will look like this: