It is, but carried to a new level of sophistication--and HP is just now catching up to the idea of different LPARS [logical partitions] running on the same machine with Superdumb--SUN has had it for several years, and I believe that IBM invented it.

The new level of sophistication is that it doesn't just replace an old instruction set with a new one, but rather allows multiple instruction sets on the same machine in the CPU operating concurrently--so you can run OS/390 and LINUX in the same CPU at the same time--with completely different instruction sets.

>>> John Clogg <[log in to unmask]> 02/19 2:45 PM >>>
Douglas Becker wrote:
>For myself, I like the IBM G5 processors which accept instruction bit
>streams to define the object codes: That would seem to be the wave of the
>future--want a new instruction set? Just get a new CD-ROM.


I'm not familiar with the G5, but this hardly seems new.  Isn't this the old
WCS (writ able control store) idea that existed in the HP3000 series 70, the
IBM 360, and other, older machines?

* To join/leave the list, search archives, change list settings, *
* etc., please visit http://raven.utc.edu/archives/hp3000-l.html *