Re: What exactly WAS Apple Pascal?

[Eric Smith <eric-no-spam-for-me@brouhaha.com>]

Don Bruder <dakidd@sonic.net> writes:
> I'm absolutely certain that there was a CPU that used P-code as its 
> native machine language.

The Western Digital WD/9000 Pascal Microengine chipset.  A microcoded
16-bit CPU with one data path chip, one control chip, and three
microcode ROMs.  The chipset was used in the WD/90, SB1600, and ME1600
computers and WD/900 board-level product.

> I'm also absolutely certain that it was marketed as a (quite pricey,
> comparatively speaking) card to be plugged into the Apple II.

I don't think there was any way using the technology of the day to
package the WD/9000 chipset on an Apple II card, even an oversize (long)
one.

> I *THINK* the card was sold under the name 
> "P-engine". What I'm not certain about is what the chip number was.

Perhaps you are thinking of the Stellation II "Mill" card, which used
the Motorola MC6809E processor.  It was advertised as speeding up Apple
Pascal, though it did not execute p-code natively.

I've got a card, but no software for it.  :-(