Abstract
As yet, there is no formal science of designing virtual machines. Instead, virtual
machine design has been ad hoc, a reaction to the current mismatch between hard-
ware and software. This thesis develops a speci¯cation for a thin, general-purpose
virtual machine that is sensitive to the needs of programmers as well as hardware
designers. Some readers may consider this thesis to be a blueprint for a novel target
virtual machine. Others may see this speci¯cation as a model for future hardware.
By studying the ++VM virtual machine, introduced in later chapters, this thesis
examines the strengths and establishes goals of virtual machine design.
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