🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Nov12.164510.28248@dartvax.dartmouth.edu> stevel@coos.dartmouth.edu (Steve Ligett) writes:
>Somewhere I have a copy of an article (or two) titled
>
>"A design for a 16 bit processor using only 600 transistors"
>
>from Microelectronics Journal, Vol 15, Nr 3,
>copyright 1984 Benn Electronics Publications Ltd, London
>
>The machine has 4 instructions: three subtracts, and one bit clear.
>
>I'll try to find and reread the articles if it would be of interest.
>-- 
>steve.ligett@dartmouth.edu
>Sign in our Machine Room:  Before Leaving Please Lock Door Behind You

I don't have that article any more (at least where I can find it), but I do
remember it.  I decided that if his goal was a small CPU to watch over things,
he would do better to have (say) 8 instructions and include load, store, etc.
My conclusion was that the additional size of the processor (I estimated 1000-
1200 transistors) would be more than balanced by the smaller programs required
(1/2 or smaller) for programs as small as a few hundred instructions.  If his
goal was the fewest number of instructions, then other posts have indicated he
has 3 too many instructions.  All in all, it was an attempt to be more practical
than most of the minimal-instruction systems.

Eugene Styer - 402 Wallace, EKU, Richmond, KY 40475  matstyer@eku.bitnet
"And to think I had a nice, safe career going for me putting mafiosi in jail"
-- 
Eugene Styer - 402 Wallace, EKU, Richmond, KY 40475  matstyer@eku.bitnet
"And to think I had a nice, safe career going for me putting mafiosi in jail"