Rekursiv Project

The Rekursiv is an innovative object-based computing system that has been developed by Linn Smart Computing. The Rekursiv consists of a microcoded processor, with an object-oriented memory management unit to provide support for a persistent object store (separate from the Rekursiv's conventional von Neumann memory). The microcode for the Rekursiv can manipulate arbitrarily structured data and paging is performed automatically (i.e. backing up of an instruction is not necessary) with the page faults being handled by the interface to the object store. The Rekursiv system was designed to provide an efficient (fast) implementation of the Lingo language and to provide support for other languages by allowing their high-level programming constructs to be microcoded into single instructions. For example, the CONS of the Lisp has been microcoded and benchmarked against other hardware platforms.

The creator of the Rekursiv system, David Harland, has written a book, "Rekursiv: Object-Oriented Computer Architecture", published by Ellis Horwood (ISBN: 0-7458-0396-2).

Some general views of the Rekursiv have also been published, "Rekursiv: An Object-Oriented CPU" (BYTE, November 1988, pp 341-349) and "Hi-fi, workstations, and a new computer architecture" (Open Network, April 1988).

Gary Whittington - Modified: 1994.06.21 - ERG home page