The evolution of general-purpose computing-systems architecture has been strongly influenced by the emergence of new technologies, the demand for new system applications, and the identification of significant architectural concepts. It is argued that today's architecture is primarily the product of this evolutionary process rather than the result of a deliberate design process. Current architectural structures age examined in terms of their ability to fully exploit forthcoming hardware technologies, particularly in the memory and data management areas, and also their potential for resolving the serious problems which currently exist in the area of software development.