RUBE

RUBE, invented in 1997 by Chris Pressey, is a bully automaton which employs a "warehouse paradigm" for computing: crates representing data are pushed around by machines called "dozers", lifted by winches, moved along on conveyor belts, etc.

While the name RUBE was at one point explained as an acronym for Rather Unique Block Engine, this is undoubtedly a backronym; the language is actually named after Rube Goldberg, to whom it is a tribute.

RUBE tends to remind people of "The Incredible Machine".

RUBE is Turing complete, but only if you give it an unbounded playing field.

RUBE's direct descendants are RUBE II: Das Klickenklacker and REDGREEN. It has also been ported to a Java game as Rubicon.

External resources

 * Rubicon, an online Java game based on RUBE, by Kevan Davis (2006)
 * Rubicon, an online Java game based on RUBE, by Kevan Davis (2006)