PowerPC
<processor, standard> (PPC) A RISC microprocessor designed to meet a standard which was jointly designed by Motorola, IBM, and Apple Computer (the PowerPC Alliance). The PowerPC standard specifies a common instruction set architecture (ISA), allowing anyone to design and fabricate PowerPC processors, which will run the same code. The PowerPC architecture is based on the IBM POWER architecture, used in IBM's RS/6000 workstations. Currently IBM and Motorola are working on PowerPC chips. The PowerPC standard specifies both 32-bit and 64-bit data paths. Early implementations were 32-bit (e.g. PowerPC 601); later higher-performance implementations were 64-bit (e.g. PowerPC 620). A PowerPC has 32 integer registers (32- or 64 bit) and 32 floating-point (IEEE standard 64 bit) floating-point registers. The POWER CPU chip and PowerPC have a (large) common core, but both have instructions that the other doesn't. The PowerPC offers the following features that POWER does not: Support for running in little-endian mode. Addition of single precision floating-point operations. Control of branch prediction direction. A hardware coherency model (not in Book I). Some other floating-point instructions (some optional). The real time clock (upper and lower) was replaced with the time base registers (upper and lower), which don't count in sec/ns (the decrementer also changed). 64-bit instruction operands, registers, etc. (in 64 bit processors). See also PowerOpen, PowerPC Platform (PReP). IBM PPC info. gopher://info.hed.apple.com/, "Apple Corporate News/" (press releases), "Apple Technologies/" and "Product Information/". gopher://ike.engr.washington.edu/, "IBM General News/", "IBM Product Announcements/", "IBM Detailed Product Announcements/", "IBM Hardware Catalog/". Usenet newsgroups: news:comp.sys.powerpc, news:comp.sys.mac.hardware. ["Microprocessor Report", 16 October 1991]. (1994-09-30) | ||||
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PowerPC definition was found in categories: Computer & Internet(5) Language, Idioms & Slang(1) Encyclopedia(1)
PowerPC Definition from Computer & Internet Dictionaries & Glossaries
| Computer Abbreviations v1.5 |
PowerPC
Performance Optimization with Enhanced RISC-Performance Computing
Performance Optimization with Enhanced RISC-Performance Computing
| 9300+ Computer Acronyms |
PowerPC
Performance Optimization With Enhanced Risc Performance Computing
Performance Optimization With Enhanced Risc Performance Computing
| Uri's File.*Xten.c.ons* |
PowerPC
Performance Optimization with Enhanced RISC-Performance
Performance Optimization with Enhanced RISC-Performance
| Jensen's Technology Glossary |
PowerPC
A revolutionary new desktop RISC computer emerging from a joint venture between Apple Corporation, Motorola, and IBM. Rupley (1994, p. 129) writes that: "PowerPC will remake the computer industry at its foundations." What is revolutionary is the ability of the PowerPC to run under Apple, OS/2, DOS, Windows, and Unix operating systems. This is a remarkably fast and cheap CPU using RISC chip technology. IBM was the first company to introduce the PowerPC notebook computer. For a time it looked like the PowerPC would indeed capture enormous chunks of market share from Intel, but then in hurried desperation Intel introduced its 90-MHz and 100-MHz O54C CISC processors. With the new CISC Pentiums and RISC NexGen alternatives selling at a much faster clip than Mac and IBM PowerPC processors, it appears that PowerPC will have a tough time selling to users other than Mac users who want faster processors for the Apple operating systems. Later versions of Pentium processors such as the P54C overcame all doubts about Intel's ability to produce a cool running CISC processor at speeds up to 100 MHz and plans to produce even faster Pentiums. These newer versions dispel all doubts about "Intel's aim to crunch the PowerPC" according to Information Week, February 21, 1994, p. 60. The comparative advantages of the Intel processors, and they are serious short-term advantages in the market, are the abilities of Intel processors to run DOS and Windows applications in direct rather than the emulation form used in PowerPCs and Macs. The main drawback of the PowerPC is that PowerPC users can only run DOS and Windows applications in emulation form such that all speed advantages of the PowerPC are lost. For this reason, the "PC" part of the tradename "PowerPC" is somewhat misleading since most PC users run under DOS and/or Windows operating systems. Certainly users who prefer to stay in a DOS and/or Windows operating system are advised to stick with the 486, Pentium, or some other CPU alternative that does not require emulation. When applications vendors bring applications to market in PowerOpen, Pink, and planned PowerPC native software, Intel and NexGen may lose market share to PowerPC, but this probably will not happen to a major extent in this century, largely due to the fact that PowerPC requires replacement of existing computers with new PowerPC computers. Worldwide, this will not happen for years due to tight budgets in business and government. It will be years before software developers offer PowerPC native software anywhere close to the present Windows product lines. Francis (1994) reports that the main drawback that is holding down sales of Apple Corporation's Power Mac is that "no one is building mainstream (native) productivity applications for the Power Mac." IBM is also working with Apple to develop the PowerOpen operating system for the PowerPC. Taligent is developing the Pink operating system for the PowerPC. At the time of this writing the planned full line of PowerPCs is not available. It will only be a short time before portable (e.g., Tadpoles and PowerBooks) and multimedia PowerPC lines are produced, although demand for these portable versions leads to long delivery delays. Another drawback of the PowerPC is that the alliance between IBM and Apple was weakened somewhat by delays in developing a PowerPC that will switch back and forth between Mac and IBM operating systems (e.g., between Mac and OS/2 or Mac and Windows). More...
A revolutionary new desktop RISC computer emerging from a joint venture between Apple Corporation, Motorola, and IBM. Rupley (1994, p. 129) writes that: "PowerPC will remake the computer industry at its foundations." What is revolutionary is the ability of the PowerPC to run under Apple, OS/2, DOS, Windows, and Unix operating systems. This is a remarkably fast and cheap CPU using RISC chip technology. IBM was the first company to introduce the PowerPC notebook computer. For a time it looked like the PowerPC would indeed capture enormous chunks of market share from Intel, but then in hurried desperation Intel introduced its 90-MHz and 100-MHz O54C CISC processors. With the new CISC Pentiums and RISC NexGen alternatives selling at a much faster clip than Mac and IBM PowerPC processors, it appears that PowerPC will have a tough time selling to users other than Mac users who want faster processors for the Apple operating systems. Later versions of Pentium processors such as the P54C overcame all doubts about Intel's ability to produce a cool running CISC processor at speeds up to 100 MHz and plans to produce even faster Pentiums. These newer versions dispel all doubts about "Intel's aim to crunch the PowerPC" according to Information Week, February 21, 1994, p. 60. The comparative advantages of the Intel processors, and they are serious short-term advantages in the market, are the abilities of Intel processors to run DOS and Windows applications in direct rather than the emulation form used in PowerPCs and Macs. The main drawback of the PowerPC is that PowerPC users can only run DOS and Windows applications in emulation form such that all speed advantages of the PowerPC are lost. For this reason, the "PC" part of the tradename "PowerPC" is somewhat misleading since most PC users run under DOS and/or Windows operating systems. Certainly users who prefer to stay in a DOS and/or Windows operating system are advised to stick with the 486, Pentium, or some other CPU alternative that does not require emulation. When applications vendors bring applications to market in PowerOpen, Pink, and planned PowerPC native software, Intel and NexGen may lose market share to PowerPC, but this probably will not happen to a major extent in this century, largely due to the fact that PowerPC requires replacement of existing computers with new PowerPC computers. Worldwide, this will not happen for years due to tight budgets in business and government. It will be years before software developers offer PowerPC native software anywhere close to the present Windows product lines. Francis (1994) reports that the main drawback that is holding down sales of Apple Corporation's Power Mac is that "no one is building mainstream (native) productivity applications for the Power Mac." IBM is also working with Apple to develop the PowerOpen operating system for the PowerPC. Taligent is developing the Pink operating system for the PowerPC. At the time of this writing the planned full line of PowerPCs is not available. It will only be a short time before portable (e.g., Tadpoles and PowerBooks) and multimedia PowerPC lines are produced, although demand for these portable versions leads to long delivery delays. Another drawback of the PowerPC is that the alliance between IBM and Apple was weakened somewhat by delays in developing a PowerPC that will switch back and forth between Mac and IBM operating systems (e.g., between Mac and OS/2 or Mac and Windows). More...
| Internet Glossary |
PowerPC
A RISC-based computer architecture developed jointly by IBM, Apple Computer, and Motorola Corporation. The name is derived from IBM’s name for the architecture, Performance Optimization With Enhanced RISC.
The first computers based on the PowerPC architecture were the Power Macs, which appeared in 1994. Since then, other manufacturers, including IBM, have built PCs based on the PowerPC. Although the initial reviews have been good, it remains to be seen whether this new architecture can eventually supplant, or even coexist, with the huge number of Intel -based computers in use and on the market.
There are already a number of different operating systems that run on PowerPC-based computers, including the Macintosh operating system (System 7.5 and higher), Windows NT, and OS/2.
A RISC-based computer architecture developed jointly by IBM, Apple Computer, and Motorola Corporation. The name is derived from IBM’s name for the architecture, Performance Optimization With Enhanced RISC.
The first computers based on the PowerPC architecture were the Power Macs, which appeared in 1994. Since then, other manufacturers, including IBM, have built PCs based on the PowerPC. Although the initial reviews have been good, it remains to be seen whether this new architecture can eventually supplant, or even coexist, with the huge number of Intel -based computers in use and on the market.
There are already a number of different operating systems that run on PowerPC-based computers, including the Macintosh operating system (System 7.5 and higher), Windows NT, and OS/2.
PowerPC Definition from Language, Idioms & Slang Dictionaries & Glossaries
PowerPC Definition from Encyclopedia Dictionaries & Glossaries
| Wikipedia English - The Free Encyclopedia |
PowerPC
PowerPC is a RISC microprocessor architecture created by the 1991 Apple–IBM–Motorola alliance, known as AIM. Originally intended for personal computers, PowerPC CPUs have since become popular embedded and high-performance processors as well. PowerPC was the cornerstone of AIM's PReP and Common Hardware Reference Platform initiatives in the 1990s, but the architecture found the most success in the personal computer market in Apple's Macintosh lines from 1994 to 2006 (before Apple's transition to Intel).
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