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From: gnu@l5.uucp (John Gilmore)
Newsgroups: net.micro,net.micro.pc
Subject: Re: IBM's new 32 bit machine - not an 80386?
Message-ID: <399@l5.uucp>
Date: Sun, 5-Jan-86 05:42:32 EST
Article-I.D.: l5.399
Posted: Sun Jan  5 05:42:32 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 6-Jan-86 03:31:36 EST
References: <216@utastro.UUCP> <210@ism780c.UUCP>
Organization: Nebula Consultants in San Francisco
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In article <216@utastro.UUCP> jk@utastro.UUCP (John Krist) writes:
>     I have been informed by someone that the IBM 32 bit machine does not
>  use a 80386.  But I was assured by the person I talked to from IBM that 
>  the computer will run PC software.
>                      What's going on?

The obvious answer is that it could have an 8088 (or 80286) and some other
processor, probably the RISC chip that grew out of the IBM 801 research
machine.  Of course, IBM always tells *me* what they're doing...  :-)

Software emulation would work OK too, especially if the processor is fast
enough.  I suspect a 68020 can emulate an 8088 faster than the 8088 (though
I haven't tried it).  It would be harder to emulate all the code that "knows"
where the graphics screen is and how big it is, how to diddle the serial
ports, etc, unless actual PC clone hardware is provided.

I think both the Amiga and some microcoded xeroX system emulate the 8088.