A General Formulation of storage Allocation Formalization of a general computer storage allocation process is attempted. With a given computer M is associated a fictitious computer M' essentially identical to M except in respect to possession of unbounded primary storage. Mappings of the total storage set (internal and external) of M into the direct address set of M' are introduced. A program sequence P for M' is termed M-admissible (relative to a specific execution time period) if there is a mapping underwhich P and its effective data referents are all located in the direct address set of M. Storage allocation is considered as a process of establishing for an arbitrary M' program a sequence of mappings, a decoupling of the program into M-admissible subprograms and a linking set of interludes. An existence proof in terms of a completely interpretive M program as indicated. Some special cases are discussed. Various restrictions on generality of M' programs are considered under which more practical realization of allocation processes becomes tractable. CACM October, 1961 Roberts Jr., A. E. CA611003 JB March 16, 1978 1:22 PM 278 5 278 278 5 278 278 5 278