Re: Dead Amiga? --- Live Apple

[supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer)]

kws@delphi.com wrote:

>Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net> writes:
> 
>>     How about this: Apple arranges with WDC to produce an 80MHz version
>>of the 65C816. They stick the new microprocessor, 64MB of RAM, a 6.5GB
>>hard disk, 32x CDROM drive, 1.4MB disk drive, a good fast 3D-capable
>>video chipset plus XVGA output, wavetable sound chipset, high-speed
>>serial I/O, game controller port, and 8-bit interface into a compact
>>tower case. Call it the "Apple II Power Box" and sell it to ...
> 
>ROTFLMAO.  Why the hell would anyone make a new computer and use a crippled,
>non-existant 80Mhz processor?  I *like* the 65816, but it lacks power
>(no multiplication or floating point support), registers (3 general purpose
>ones compared to 32 or more in modern chips), is 16 bit, can only access
>16 megabytes of RAM (so 64MB wouldn't do much good), uses a queer
>segmentation scheme, has a 64k stack, and lacks memory protection.

This is a loaded question...

Obviously, if WDC did release an improved 65C processor, it would be
a next generation extension.  The Pentium II is an extension of the
8088 in a very real sense, but it has overcome the original limitations.
The 80286 had the same "queer segmentation scheme" as the '816,
but the Pentium II does not, right?

I don't think such an upgrade is going to happen anytime soon, but
to say the 65C MUST be stuck in its current capabilities is absurd!

Actually, an engineer friend once suggested that a very powerful and
cost effective computer could be built by taking a handfull of 8-bit
65C02 processors and running them in parallel.  Imagine a computer
with the equivalent of 100 65C02 processors running in parallel...
obviously if the computer is built, the 100 units will be miniaturized
onto a single die...but imagine the possibilities.  Sadly, the parallel
processing concept has never gained acceptance...how powerful
do you think each of your neurons is?  Yet put billions of them into
a brain and you get an amazing device!