Pointer machine

In theoretical computer science a pointer machine is an "atomistic" abstract computational machine model akin to the Random access machine.

Depending on the type, a pointer machine may be called a linking automaton, a KU-machine, an SMM, an atomistic LISP machine, a tree-pointer machine, etc. (cf Ben-Amram 1995). At least three major varieties exist in the literature—the Kolmogorov-Uspenskii model (KUM, KU-machine), the Knuth linking automaton, and the Schönhage Storage Modification Machine model (SMM). The SMM seems to be the most common.