Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!samsung!munnari.oz.au!mtiame!marvin!david
From: david@marvin.jpl.oz (David Magnay)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.nsc.32k
Subject: Re: CMOS 32C082
Message-ID: <410@marvin.jpl.oz>
Date: 9 Jan 90 07:12:55 GMT
Reply-To: david@marvin.jpl.oz (David Magnay)
Organization: Johns Perry Lifts, Melbourne
Lines: 25

NSC seem to have-lost/are-losing interest in UNIX capable chips. The NS32016/082
was quite a neat unix solution. Would have been nice to see it go to CMOS and
15MHz or more. Probably not enuf of you guys ( and gals) put your back behind it
to make it a worthwhile hit. The 532 is a mean machine, but pushes system costs
up by the system complexity ( and performance). The '082 breakpoint and
debugging support were great, but S/W never made great use of them; lots of
operator control to drive them in the debuggers. It's an odd-on-bet that the
32016/082 will die soon. The 32cg16 will be the equivalent mainstay in embedded
systems, where NSC have a foothold, backed up by the 532/GX32 at the top end.

As far as building a 32016 portable, you will never see a CMOS MMU for it. The
commercial realities of your portable are such that even if the 'C082 was avail,
you would be unwise to commercially commit to it. The 386-PC type product, even
running UNIX, will wipe you out. You can only survive with 3rd party support,
and there would be none for such an orphan.

..........................................................
Any views are my own, and not those of my employer.
He has his own bad ideas.
..........................................................

David Magnay				mail	david@marvin.jpl.oz
Johns Perry Lifts			uucp	..!uunet!murtoa!marvin!david
45 Wangara Road, Cheltenham 3192	phone	(03) 584-3311
Victoria, Australia			O/seas	+61 3 584 3311