[rescue] Another fine business decision for us axp-lovers

[Zach Malone]

Hello,
    Im not certain whether they are limited or not.  However, there are a
large number of articles on the web about how the G4 is a 64 bit processor.
I did not find any thing on earlier PPC processors, it could be that they
are 32 bit chips on a 64 bit bus, as upon closer inspection of the everymac
site it has them listed as 64bit bus systems.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Joshua D. Boyd" <jdboyd at cs.millersville.edu>
To: <rescue at sunhelp.org>
Sent: Monday, June 25, 2001 3:34 PM
Subject: Re: [rescue] Another fine business decision for us axp-lovers


> I don't remeber seeing 64bit registers though when I was poking around PPC
> assembly, so how do they justify calling it 64bit?
>
> Darn it, now I'm going to have to dig up some PPC ASM info.
>
> OK, so a brief skim reveals 32int registers, and 32float registers.
> That's nice.  It has 32bit instructions.   That's also nice (albiet
> standard for RISC machines I'm told).  OK, from one tutorial I'm reading
> (http://www.lightsoft.co.uk/Fantasm/Beginners/Chapt1.html), it says that
> doubles can only be handled through the FPU.  That would seem to indicate
> that general registers are only 32bit, but still looking for specific
> confirmation.
>
> OK, further down the same page, it said that the general registers are
> 32bits wide.
>
> So, we have 32bit instructions, and 32bit general registers.  Just like
> x86.  We also have 64bit FPU registers, also like x86.  And we have a
> 128bit bus.  Well, I know that Socket7 chips have a 64bit bus, I don't
> remeber if that was expended on the P6 core or not.
>
> So, what justifies calling a PPC in an Apple a 64bit machine?
>
> Or, is the PPC just being throttled like a 386 in 16bit mode?
>
> --
> Joshua Boyd
>
> On Sun, 24 Jun 2001, Zach Malone wrote:
>
> > Hello,
> >     Apple does in fact use 64 bit CPUs, all the PowerPC chips from the
601
> > up are 64bit.  The G4 is a 64bit core with a 128bit bus (from what I
hear,
> > it may truly be 128bit, but since it is a modified G3 I doubt it).
Check
> > out www.everymac.com, they list specs on every macintosh model back to
the
> > Mac 128k, and all the PowerPCs are listed as 64bit.
> >     Zach
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Joshua D. Boyd" <jdboyd at cs.millersville.edu>
> > To: <rescue at sunhelp.org>
> > Sent: Monday, June 25, 2001 1:27 PM
> > Subject: Re: [rescue] Another fine business decision for us axp-lovers
> >
> >
> > > Hold up a second.  SGI is also heading towards Intel.
> > >
> > > And Apple doesn't really sell 64bit machines (well, they show no signs
of
> > > making a 64bit OS, and from my understanding, the PPC can be 64bit,
but
> > > the ones Apple uses aren't).  On the bright side, you forgot IBM.
They
> > > make 64bit PPCs and Power chips.  And IBM should be around a long
time.
> > >
> > > --
> > > Joshua Boyd
> > >
> > > On Sun, 24 Jun 2001, Zach Malone wrote:
> > >
> > > > I thought it was funny reading the article on the Register about how
> > Intel
> > > > is thinking about buying Digital from Compaq.  So thus far, the list
of
> > 64
> > > > bit RISC manufacturers which are going to Intel consists of HP, and
> > > > DEC/Compaq.  At least we still have Sun, SGI, and Apple, though only
Sun
> > and
> > > > Apple seem to produce nice workstations for a reasonable price.
> > Supposedly
> > > > Sun will be releasing UltraSPARC IIIs @ higher clockspeeds soon.
> > >
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>
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