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Despite Aging Design, x86 Still in Charge
An anonymous reader writes "The x86 chip architecture is still kicking, almost 30 years after it was first introduced. A News.com article looks into the reasons why we're not likely to see it phased out any time soon, and the history of a well-known instruction set architecture. 'Every time [there is a dramatic new requirement or change in the marketplace], whether it's the invention of the browser or low-cost network computers that were supposed to make PCs go away, the engineers behind x86 find a way to make it adapt to the situation. Is that a problem? Critics say x86 is saddled with the burden of supporting outdated features and software, and that improvements in energy efficiency and software development have been sacrificed to its legacy. And a comedian would say it all depends on what you think about disco.'"
It should be replaced with Esperanto when we all upgrade to Vista.
technical writing / development
4. ???
5. Profit
I think you forgot to mention installed base.
My blog
The one time "All your base are belong to us" is actually an on-topic comment
www.code-fix.com
He only used 60% of his brain when writing the article. Sadly, he collected 100% of his pay check.
(Obl: 43% of people know that all statistics are made up.)
I wonder if I use bold in my signature, people will notice my posts.
You don't buy a new car just becuase the tires need replaceing (well some people do, but that is rarely the fiscally responsible thing).
I hate to use a car analogy, but yeah. Cars have changed tremendously over the past 50+ years, but all in all, they're still four tires attached to two axles, with a transmission converting power from the engine to rotational energy in the axles, with a cabin on top of these axles with seats and a single driver's wheel, pedals, and control area. All of those components have seen upgrades, but the "basic architecture" has remained the same. Sure, there might be a better way to do a car, and concept vehicles look nice and all, but if you radically change the car, no matter how great and "better" it is, what kind of market share would Apple and the PowerPC^H^H^H^H those new "better" cars get? People will resist, not because what they have is best or even better, but because it is different, and economically, marginal upgrades in each generation is far cheaper than one giant upgrade during one generation.
I think he means one of those newfangled three-stroke engines that are all the rage.
You know, there is a difference between trolling and pointing out the flaws in your reasoning. Just saying.
The irony of being a grammar Nazi by pointing out that the statement "People like you make Nazi's look good." is incorrect. It should be "People like you make Nazis look good." - unless there is some unseen object that the Nazis posses, the apostrophe before the "s" is unnecessary and incorrect. Simply adding a "s" to the end is sufficient to make it plural.
"But this one goes to 11!"
...rather than intelligent design.
"How to Do Nothing," kids activities, back in print!
I tried looking into my heart but it asked me to "allow" or "deny". When I hit "allow" I got a BSOD. I'll have to get back to you on that one.
Why did it have to be a little endian processor?
In the course of every project, it will become necessary to shoot the scientists and begin production.
Slashdot needs a mod tag (-1, Car analogy).
Hail Eris, full of mischief...
E pluribus sanguinem
My God, it's Full of Source!
OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
I'm told LucasFilm somehow lost the original source to CashBucket 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0.
Shame, too, since the more recent versions are chock-a-block of unnecessary "features and fixes" (in particular, a very controversial race condition between the instantiation of blaster objects during app startup).
One man's constant is another man's variable.