Path: utzoo!utdoe!generic!pnet91!ericmcg
From: ericmcg@pnet91.cts.com (Eric Mcgillicuddy)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: Computer capabilities
Message-ID: <336@generic.UUCP>
Date: 6 Jan 91 02:50:04 GMT
Sender: root@generic.UUCP
Organization: People-Net [pnet91], Etobicoke, ON
Lines: 27


>Of course, most 8088 system run at about twice the clock speed (or better)
>of most 65c816 systems, so this advantage isn't as great as you would think.
>(This btw, has to do with hardware, things like memory access times).

I do not know of any 16MHz 8088 systems available. I believe Intel froze the
architecture at 8MHz to move people towards the 286 in high speed systems. The
80C86 might be available in faster versions, though I think most have moved to
386s above 16MHz.

>Addressing modes to support various common HLL data structures (records,
>arrays of pointers, handles, lists, sets, etc.) would be quite useful.  Most
>machines only handle arrays and pointers reasonably well.  The 8088's four
>component addressing scheme is a good example (although it doesn't go far
>enough).

This has come up in my current project and I am not completely satisfied with
the results, however it works within restrictions. A 65xxx array of pointers
is generally referred to as "zero page" or "direct page". Handles get to be a
problem, but linked lists can be traversed moderately well, structures also. 

There is an interesting book on writing compilers in C, I think that I will
have a look through it, should be enlightening. Maybe write Lisp in HyperC
when I'm done. :)

UUCP: bkj386!pnet91!ericmcg
INET: ericmcg@pnet91.cts.com