Nanotechnology: A Gentle Introduction to the Next Big Idea

Architectures

If computers could only answer very limited sets of questions such as comparing two pieces of information (as in a logic gate), cracking a code (as in quantum computing), searching for data (as in DNA computing), or even solving complex mathematical problems (as in swarm computing), they would not have changed modern life. Computers are general-purpose; they can turn on a coffee pot in the morning, calculate income tax (inasmuch as this is possible), guide a jet airplane through a thunderstorm, and, through CAD tools, allow an engineer to design yet more advanced systems. The overall structure of a computer's design—its architecture—is what suits it to a particular application or allows it the versatility to be used for many applications. ...