MMIX

MMIX is a virtual machine which simulates a RISC processor. Donald Knuth uses the MMIX in his multi-volume 'The Art of Computer Programming to describe the low-level implementation of algorithms. He deliberately chooses to describe algorithms in both English and a hypothetical assembly language so that the programs will not be outdated easily because of the proliferation of new computer programming languages. Additionaly a formalism which is hardware-related helps to illustrate problems of efficiency.

Earlier editions of the book use the original MIX. MMIX has little in common with its predecessor MIX, which was conceived in the 1960s.

Literature: Donald E. Knuth (Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag, 1999), viii+550pp. MMIXware A RISC Computer for the Third Millennium

(Lecture Notes in Computer Science, no. 1750.[1] (http://link.springer.de/link/service/series/0558/tocs/t1750.htm))

MMIX is also the Roman numeral for the year 2009.