Computer Architecture

In past years there have been several conferences on "Computer Archi- tecture and Operating Systems", which were jointly sponsored by the "Fachausschuss 3/4 der Gesellschaft fUr Informatik, Rechnerorganisa- tion und Betriebssysteme", whose field of interest is covered by the title of the conferences, and by the "Fachausschuss 6 (Technische In- formatik) der Nachrichtentechnischen Gesellschaft im Verband Deutsche Elektrotechniker". The level of attendance at these conferences showed that they satisfied a genuine need. The "Fachausschuss 3/4" mentioned above decided in the autumn of 1974 to hold a workshop on computer architecture. This was motivated by the point of view that the organisations mentioned above should provide an opportunity for forward-looking computer architects who would like to discuss contemporary computer structures and operating systems. In ac- cordanc~ with this computer architecture was regarded as a basic ap- proach to computer structures, which could not be regarded as a straight- forward development of what has been up to now the main line of compu- ter evolution.
Computer architecture does not yet require a breach with the line of development which has been followed since the days of the Princeton group. However, it is not limited to the current range of products of the computer manufacturer. The professional organisations mentioned above and also the universities have accordingly a particular responsi- bility to search for new paths forward, especially those which are not simply extensions of paths already used.