🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <BxL9qH.M45@utdallas.edu> goyal@utdallas.edu (Mohit K. Goyal) writes:
>
>I have heard/read that Windows NT & NeXTSTEP 486 will *require* 486 chips.

This is true of NeXTstep, but I think that Windows NT will run on a 386
(someone please correct me if im wrong on that point)...

>
>Is this possible?

Very possible...  The 486 has several instructions that the 386 doesnt
have.  If the programmers use them, then of course the program wont 
run on lesser processors...

>If so, does it apply to 486DX or DX & SX?

Both..  The SX implements the complete DX instruction set, execpt for the
floating point instructions...

>Is it really possible to write software that will run on a 486SX that
>will not run on a 386DX(or SX)?

As I said, you betcha.....

>hotcakes, & mathco's are cheap, it would seem silly to exclude this
>market, the whole 386 market in fact, from you product.

Now that statement I dont agree with.   If programmers refused to take
advantage of the technology available to them, they are dooming us, the
users.  Of course those of us who own 386's may be left in the cold
on rare occasions, but its worth it in my mind.  

What would have happened if all programs continued to run on an 8088
based machine?  I dont think we would be seeing a windows nt...
(assuming NT ever gets released to us :) :) :) :) :)

Scott
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