Re: 6502, 65816 = RISC ?

[rubywand@aol.com (RUBYWAND)]

In article <32142A65.409B@esis.vsnet.ch>, Gilles Tschopp
<gilles.tschopp@esis.vsnet.ch> writes:

>
>".... The 6502 has been identified by some, including 
>Microprocessor Report (12/90), as the first 8-bit RISC 
>microprocessor. ...."
>
>

     In the 1980's the 6502 was considered very RISC-like in terms of
clocking and design simplicity. The 80x86, 68000, and other larger uP's
helped emphasize 6502's "clean", "hot" design. The term "RISC
microprocessor" may properly apply if it means "a uP implementation of
RISC ideas".

     Still, 6502 is a moderately 'smart' implementation in uP form with a
fairly large instruction set and specialized registers. Also, it does not
have the flexiblity of separate instruction and data busses, provisions
for high-speed cache, and some other features one might expect in a "RISC
machine".
       

Rubywand