tucker@ccvaxa.UUCP (10/14/84)
Some years ago Popular Electronics did an article on Future 16bit processors. They listed such things as the 9900 (TI), z8000 (ZILOG), and the 16008 and 16016 (NATIONAL). The 16008(16) were descibed as being super 8080 type processors capable of executing 8080 opcodes directly plus a entirely new totally 16bit instruction set. That was very different from what eventually did come out. Anybody else remember this article? I can't remember what issue it was, too long ago.
jss@sjuvax.UUCP (Jonathan Shapiro) (10/24/84)
[Aren't you hungry...?] In theory, the 32000 series was also supposed to run 8080 or 8086 opcodes (or something like that - I can't remember which, though I remember the article). Apparently someone at NS blew a gasket when he saw how much more that would make it cost and it was decided to abandon the ida. Given how well the NS chip set functions and how complete it is, this seems (my opinion only) not to be much of a loss, though the software compatibility would be nice. Jon Shapiro