Virtually from the inception of computers, the von Neumann model of computation has gone unchallenged as the accepted general purpose mechanism of computation. A web-search on computational models does not reveal any alternatives to compete with it. Ideas like data-flow architectures and the biological computer have had little impact.

Few have done any critical assessment of the von Neumann model. Backus [1] stirred considerable interest in his paper questioning its merits. However twenty five years later on little has changed. A different angle is taken here in trying to make a critical assessment by considering addressing: a fundamental underpinning of the model.

Firstly we need to establish if addressing is inherent to computation. Having established it is not, a brief study is critical analysis is made of addressing. Concluding that there can be significant benefits if alternative to addressing can be found.