In the fast-paced field of computing new technologies appear, are developed and then become outdated all within a few years. The underlying architectural precepts on the other hand remain relatively constant. Modern CPUs use the same sequential execution model which has been with us since Von Neumann. The latest processors use performance features such as caching, deep pipelining and register scoreboarding which are really only minor adaptations of techniques which have been used for twenty years.
Reconfigurable logic arrays give us the opportunity to embrace an entirely new approach to computing. The technology is still young so there is a great deal to be done before this new medium reaches the maturity of conventional processors. Current reconfigurable logic arrays are limited to specialised custom computing tasks and are not suitable for the wide variety of tasks which general purpose computers tackle.
This thesis demonstrates that reconfigurable processors do have the potential to entirely replace conventional processors. The Switchblade system described is a complete standalone general-purpose computer based entirely around a reconfigurable logic array. It lacks only hardware implementation and appropriate software to make it a realisable system.
A significant aspect of this thesis is that it points the way to a major paradigm shift in the way computations can be performed. Instead of devising algorithms to run on and exploit a given computer architecture, an architecture is defined dynamically to perform the computation. While much work is still required the conceptual framework presented here paves the way for exciting future developments.