M
Michael Griffin
I don't know exactly what Mr. Torvalds does at Transmeta either (I've never inquired) and I don't particularly want to get in on this particular argument. However, I thought you may want to know that Transmeta's product probably involves more system level software than it does actual hardware. The idea is to run a series of very sophisticated virtual machines on very
simple RISC hardware.
If you are designing a new large scale microprocessor, you need to have system software people either on staff, or under contract (or some other arrangement). In the old days, you just came out with the hardware, and perhaps a simple assembler. These days you need to port compilers and at least one popular operating system to your hardware. To cut the time required
to get the product ready for market, you would have the software and hardware teams working in parallel.
In addition, most RISC designs are optimised by having the compiler design help steer the hardware design. There used to be a saying that "RISC" stood for "Relegate the Impossible Stuff to the Compiler".
These companies need to have some people working on software to make their product (microprocessor) saleable, but the software isn't
really their main line of business. It's more or less a loss leader to get their hardware designed into products.
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Michael Griffin
London, Ont. Canada
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simple RISC hardware.
If you are designing a new large scale microprocessor, you need to have system software people either on staff, or under contract (or some other arrangement). In the old days, you just came out with the hardware, and perhaps a simple assembler. These days you need to port compilers and at least one popular operating system to your hardware. To cut the time required
to get the product ready for market, you would have the software and hardware teams working in parallel.
In addition, most RISC designs are optimised by having the compiler design help steer the hardware design. There used to be a saying that "RISC" stood for "Relegate the Impossible Stuff to the Compiler".
These companies need to have some people working on software to make their product (microprocessor) saleable, but the software isn't
really their main line of business. It's more or less a loss leader to get their hardware designed into products.
************************
Michael Griffin
London, Ont. Canada
************************