Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!bloom-beacon!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!nrl-cmf!ames!ucsd!sdcsvax!ucsdhub!hp-sdd!hplabs!hp-pcd!uoregon!omepd!mcg
From: mcg@omepd (Steven McGeady)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: Intel RISC CPU/80486 : do they exist ?
Message-ID: <3442@omepd>
Date: 4 May 88 16:41:30 GMT
References: <348@cf-cm.UUCP> <350@cf-cm.UUCP>
Reply-To: mcg@iwarpo3.UUCP (Steve McGeady)
Organization: Intel Corp., Hillsboro
Lines: 43
Keywords: 88000 risc intel motorola clipper c100 c300


In article <350@cf-cm.UUCP> mch@computing-maths.cardiff.ac.uk (Major Kano) writes:
> 
>>   Every so often these last few months there have been rumours of an INTEL
>>RISC cpu. Is there anyone out there who
> 
>I should point out here, with regard to various RISC discussions, that I do
>** NOT ** mean the 80960  ! This rumour was about a "real" processor, not a
>process control machine.
>


Excuse me, but would you mind explaining what the difference is between
the 80960 and a '"real" processor'?  For that matter, I'd even be interested
in the difference between a 'process control machine' and a '"real" processor'.

The 80960 runs at 7-10 MIPS, includes a family member with support for paged 
virtual-memory systems, and is based on an architecture that has headroom
to expand to 20-30 MIPS in the near future.  In what way is it not real.

In fact, it is more real than most RISC chips (need I mention names), as it
is available in full-speed *production* quantities today, bug-free.  And
with software tools.

I wouldn't hold my breath for the announcement of another 32-bit
general-purpose RISC CPU architecture from Intel in the near future.

Apropos the 486, what we are allowed to say is:

	1) it will be compatible with the 386;
	2) it will be faster than the 386;
	3) it will be available in the future;

You will hear claims that the 486 uses "RISC design techniques" to reduce
the number of clocks per instruction.  Do not misinterpret this as a statement
that the *86 family is suddenly a RISC architecture.

I suggest that you contact your nearest Intel Sales Office  
(Intel UK, Pipers Way, Swindown, Wiltshire SN3 1RJ; (0793) 69 60 00)
for more information. 

S. McGeady
Intel Corp.