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From: ned@SCINEWS.UUCP (Ned Robie)
Newsgroups: net.micro
Subject: demise of 8086 family?
Message-ID: <120@SCINEWS.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 7-Jun-85 13:45:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: SCINEWS.120
Posted: Fri Jun  7 13:45:00 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 12-Jun-85 07:48:05 EDT
Distribution: net
Organization: SCI Systems, Research Triangle Park, NC
Lines: 23

When IBM comes out with their 370 on a chip(s), the future of the 8086
family is, I believe, in serious question.  Granted, IBM will continue
to provide strong support for the 8086 family for the forseeable future,
but once the 370 microchip is ready and 32 bit microprocessors are
the standard, the 8086 fam. may well be on its deathbed.  The 370 has virtual
memory(!), a well-proven architecture, and gobs of software.  What
would be the point in dragging the 8086 along over the LONG HAUL?

Perhaps the 8086 was a stop-gap for IBM.  They needed to get into the
micro market in a hurry or they would have risked being too late.  The 370
micro wasn't near ready, so the 8086 was a convenient (and relatively
cheap) interim solution.

As for 8086 segmentation... IBM needs to give its customers some reason
to switch to the 370 when it's ready.  Segmentation is simply planned
obsolescence.  They're not idiots.

These are most assuredly MY opinions and do not reflect the opinions
of my employer.

Any comments?  (Need I ask?)

-- Ned Robie