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From: daveh@cbmvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: Re: I've Got The Microprocessor Blues
Message-ID: <1392@cbmvax.cbmvax.cbm.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 11-Feb-87 13:01:44 EST
Article-I.D.: cbmvax.1392
Posted: Wed Feb 11 13:01:44 1987
Date-Received: Thu, 12-Feb-87 18:39:16 EST
References: <1389@cbmvax.cbmvax.cbm.UUCP>
Organization: Commodore Technology, West Chester, PA
Lines: 41

> 
> If you want to play, look at NS32000, MC680X0, and Intel 8086 chips.  If
> you want to probe the future, look at the Fairchild Clipper, MIPS chips
> and the Intel 386 stuff.  Intel development can be PC based, National
> has some nice (almost affordable) single board systems.

If you're interested in modern architectures, look into the INMOS Transputer
series.  These are 16 and 32 bit processors that employ an number of
RISC architectural ideas.  And they're designed to allow simple 
implementation of multiprocessor systems.  Each Transputer processor 
has several high speed (10 Mbits/second, DMAed) serial links for 
inter-processor communication.  The software design of the chip can
take advantage of this link.  You basically design separate processes
to run on a Transputer, in a way similar to what you might do on a 
68000.  When following the Transputer process model, though, individual
processes can run on individual Transputers or all on one, all 
transparently.  

Some other aspects of the system are that all Transputers run off a single
TTL level 5MHz clock.  The faster clock speeds are internally generated,
as are memory control signals, to allow operation as fast as 10 MIPS
(some of the new ones are even faster).  There's also memory (2K-4K 
typically) built into each Transputer.

The Transputer isn't as mainstream as a 680x0, 80x86, or 32xxx, and the
cost is still in the high range, though as a single chip part its
probably priced comparably to the 80386 or the Fairchild Clipper.  Most
any system, UNIX, VAX/VMS, even IBM PC can be used for development, and
development boards are available as either stand-alone or IBM PC 
resident.

I've got no connections to INMOS, other than an appreciation of the 
Transputer.
-- 
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Dave Haynie	{caip,ihnp4,allegra,seismo}!cbmvax!daveh

     "You can keep my things, they've come to take me home"
						-Peter Gabriel

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