koopman@a.gp.cs.cmu.edu (Philip Koopman) (06/03/88)
> Karl@sugar.UUCP (Karl Lehenbauer) writes: > Subject: Japanese 32-bit micro can be a 68020 or 80386 > Date: 17 May 88 00:53:41 GMT > Even the immediate implications are stunning, I think. One thing is that > those of us who have always wanted to diddle microcode may soon be able to, > tho' there won't be much software or software compatibility for those who > do (the Microprogramming Construction Set?). It would be a boon to > researchers and others trying to implement oddball language architectures > and get them to execute efficiently on a CISC-type machine (Smalltalk, LISP, > etc.) WISC Technologies makes a machine that you can buy right now. The WISC CPU/16 is built out of MSI components and comes with hardware schematics so you can poke and prod it, with complete source code and documentation so you can write microcode. It is a very good platform to learn microcoding (MUCH less frustrating than trying it on a AM2903-type platform, since the microinstructions are only 32 bits wide and the system supports single-stepped microcode without logic analyzers, etc. -- it's all done from the keyboard of a host PC.) For more info see today's comp.arch post from me titled: WISC info (was Re: Japanese 32-bit micro can be a 68020 or 80386) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~ Phil Koopman 5551 Beacon St. ~ ~ Pittsburgh, PA 15217 ~ ~ koopman@faraday.ece.cmu.edu (preferred address) ~ ~ koopman@a.gp.cs.cmu.edu ~ ~ ~ ~ Disclaimer: I'm a PhD student at CMU, and I do some ~ ~ work for WISC Technologies. ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~