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From: henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer)
Newsgroups: net.micro.16k
Subject: Re: National changing directions?
Message-ID: <6232@utzoo.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 16-Dec-85 15:59:32 EST
Article-I.D.: utzoo.6232
Posted: Mon Dec 16 15:59:32 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 16-Dec-85 15:59:32 EST
References: <6217@utzoo.UUCP>, <981@mako.UUCP>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
Lines: 17

> >Just how is this going to affect the existing 32000 line?  Compatibility is
> >obviously out, or they wouldn't be hiring compiler and Unix people.
> 
> I don't see why "compatibility is obviously out".  A RISC design has higher
> potential for compatibility than a conventional design, through the use of
> emulators.  A tightly-coupled emulator could provide binary compatibility,
> possibly with improved performance, yet allow radical improvements in
> performance by re-compiling the source code into RISC instructions.

My point was not that you couldn't get some degree of compatibility in the
same way that pdp11 programs run on the VAX or 7094 programs ran on the
right model of 360.  My point was that the underlying machine clearly is
incompatible, i.e. it will not be a 32000.  (Hard to see how you could make
a 32000 RISC anyway.)
-- 
				Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
				{allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!henry