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Philip J. Koopman
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Stack computers: The new wave (Ellis Horwood series in computers and their applications) Hardcover – January 1, 1989

by Phil Koopman (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 29 ratings
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Published in 1989, this was the first book to explore the new breed of stack computers led by the introduction of the Novix NC4016 chip. The author commences with an overview of how stacks are used in computing, and a taxonomy of hardware stack support which includes a survey of approximately 70 stack machines past and present. Detailed descriptions, including block diagrams and instruction set summaries, are given for seven new stack processors from Harris Semiconductor, Novix, Johns Hopkins University/APL, MISC, WISC Technologies, and Wright State University. Major topics covered also include architectural analysis of stack machines, software issues, application areas, and potential for future development.
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  1. Print length
    234 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Halsted Press
  4. Publication date
    January 1, 1989
  5. ISBN-10
    0745804187
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0745804187
  7. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Halsted Press (January 1, 1989)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 234 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0745804187
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0745804187
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 29 ratings

About the author

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Philip J. Koopman

Philip J. Koopman

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Prof. Philip Koopman is an internationally recognized expert on Autonomous Vehicle (AV) safety whose work in that area spans over 25 years. He is also actively involved with AV policy and standards as well as more general embedded system design and software quality. His pioneering research work includes software robustness testing and run time monitoring of autonomous systems to identify how they break and how to fix them. He has extensive experience in software safety and software quality across numerous transportation, industrial, and defense application domains including conventional automotive software and hardware systems. He was the principal technical contributor to the UL 4600 standard for autonomous system safety issued in 2020. He is a faculty member of the Carnegie Mellon University ECE department where he teaches software skills for mission-critical systems. In 2018 he was awarded the highly selective IEEE-SSIT Carl Barus Award for outstanding service in the public interest for his work in promoting automotive computer-based system safety. In 2022 he was named to the National Safety Council's Mobility Safety Advisory Group.

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4.5 out of 5 stars
29 global ratings

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Customers find the book easy to read and a good resource for computer architecture studies. They consider it an essential read for anyone interested in CPUs and computers.

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3 customers mention "Readability"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable. They say it's an old book but still pretty good.

"...computing and what might be coming back, it's a good read." Read more

"Great book." Read more

"An old book, but still pretty good...." Read more

3 customers mention "Reading material"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book a good resource for studying computer architecture. It's a required read for those interested in CPUs and computers.

"...Worth having if you're studying computer architecture...." Read more

"...you're interested in stack based computers this is an excellent resource right at your hands and you don't have to go googling all over the net...." Read more

"Timeless. Absolutely required reading, for anyone who is seriously interested in CPU architectures...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Mad Scientist
    5.0 out of 5 stars A detailed discussion of Stack CPUs, with a focus on dual-stack Forth derived engines.
    Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Dr. Koopman was one of the go-to guys for this subject back when this book was originally written. Worth having if you're studying computer architecture. The only reasons that this kind of faded was that nobody put as much effort as was needed to making optimizing C/C++ compilers for dual-stack CPU engines like the ones in this book- and Forth, their effective Macro Assembly/C language was radically different enough to have many not be interested.

    Mill CPU machines are similar in nature. There's been a bit of a resurgence in the FPGA space because you can wedge a lot of computing power (more speed than is possible with the vendors' solutions in a third to a fourth of the space...) if you are willing to do Forth and there was some promising C compiler researches in the last 5-10 years that kind of got lost because of "lack of interest because it's one of those 'weird' and 'slow' stack machines. (Which are still used as RTX CPUs are still in use because they're easily made rad-hardened...hm...)

    If you want to understand some of the history of MISC (minimal instruction set computer) computing and what might be coming back, it's a good read.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Jack Tackett
    5.0 out of 5 stars This book is a very good resource albeit somewhat dated
    Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    For my graduation project for my BS in CS I wrote a simulator for a stack based CPU. I wrote the simulator and its associated assembler. This book is a very good resource albeit somewhat dated. Your miliage may vary, but if you're interested in stack based computers this is an excellent resource right at your hands and you don't have to go googling all over the net. highly recommended if you are into CPU architecture.
    One person found this helpful
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  • vic plichota
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Definitive Classic
    Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Timeless. Absolutely required reading, for anyone who is seriously interested in CPU architectures.

    It's great to see it resurrected from where it lanquished in obscure internet pigeonholes, and brought back to wide availability.
    8 people found this helpful
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  • Gabriel Baiocchi de Sant'Anna
    5.0 out of 5 stars An old book, but still pretty good.
    Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    As a CS student, helped me make my own stack processor.
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  • john
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book.
    Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2016
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    Great book.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • CyberFonic
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book
    Reviewed in Australia on January 8, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    This is an excellent and detailed book, but only if you are very much into the low-level details of stack-based computers, i.e. Forth and similar.

    I think you'd need a solid computer engineering background to appreciate the content.
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  • Mr C
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good history plus technical details
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 10, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    As a hobby CPU / SoC designer (using VHDL and Altera FPGA) I found this an interesting explanation of the evolution of early stack-based processors. There is plenty of detail on the pros and cons of different approaches to guide my own experiments and designs. An easy read, well worth the price.
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  • Juergen Pintaske
    4.0 out of 5 stars Standard Book on Stack Computers
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 26, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    I like to have this ebook now as well available as eBook.
    One Stack at least is used in any microcontroller, in Forth it is at least 2 - and if needed you can program more as software emulation. Worth reading.
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