Future of CPUs

[Firestryke31]

It works better than most of the "OSs" here...

Hmm...then I must download it and try out! Where can I download it?

Here, 7th item down on the left side menu. You can download just about any OS developed by this company.

[Dario]

Here, 7th item down on the left side menu. You can download just about any OS developed by this company.

Oh crap, I have to sign in and pay! Why?

[Firestryke31]

Because the developers of those OSs want to feed their families, pay the bills, and maybe have some nice things to play with.

[Dario]

Because the developers of those OSs want to feed their families, pay the bills, and maybe have some nice things to play with.

Yeah, but...I don't have to pay for an OS that I'm using...and I even get the source code!?
Well, since that exists, I expect for these "Windows" to be a million times better. I'll should probably just buy it and try out.
I can't wait!

[MasterLee]

Currently one Point in CPU-Design is to keep is compatible with Windows. There is only an small market for non Windows compatible PCs. That is the reason why alternative systems are expensive and rare. So when Windows open for ARM there maybe more ARM systems available.

[Dario]

Currently one Point in CPU-Design is to keep is compatible with Windows.

And how do manufactures do that? Windows compatible ISA???

I don't think that future will be so kind to Microsoft. I think the operating system market will become more balanced in all segments, mobile and desktops, thanks to the mobile devices. Well Microsoft is already late in that segment.
That means that other processor manufactures of different architectures will get the chance to take their peace of cake even on desktops. In fact....desktops won't be so important like they used to. Wait...they already aren't...
The whole 80s model...won't work and that will bring better products.

Honestly, I want for Microsoft to die:
http://blogs.computerworld.com/16025/mi ... _and_linux

[OSwhatever]

With the current multiple CPU core trend it will be interesting to see how the they add more hardware support for concurrent programming. One example of this is AMD Advanced Synchronization Facility. Concurrent programming isn't really new and have been there for some time, despite of that hardware support for lockfree programming is at an absolute minimum in several popular CPU cores. I expect to see some avalance effect of these additions to several CPUs in the near future.

[JamesM]

Currently one Point in CPU-Design is to keep is compatible with Windows. There is only an small market for non Windows compatible PCs. That is the reason why alternative systems are expensive and rare. So when Windows open for ARM there maybe more ARM systems available.

I suspect you do not really know how many ARM systems are out there. ARM and MIPS devices are in cars, toasters, microwave ovens, bicycles, washing machines, your TV, refrigerators and all other devices you can think of.

There are no x86 smartphones currently. And in laptops, tablets and other MIDs prediction is that they will overtake x86 by 2013.

Intel's legacy compatibility is really holding it back against gaining a foothold in low-consumption CE equipment.

ARM has around 100% market share in smartphones and mobile phones. I forget most of the marketing schpiel but we have large market shares in anything connected to a CAN network in a car, hard drives, flash drives, white goods etc. And tablets. There are more, but I forget at the moment.

[Dario]

One more thing that can help manufactures like ARM is that tranzistor minituarization is slowing down(rumors are that we won't pass lower then 11nm of CMOS manufacturing processes).
Which means that ARM will catch up Intel and AMD. And it already has lower consumption.

And yes, ARM is the biggest processor manufacturer when measured by quantity.

[JamesM]

One more thing that can help manufactures like ARM is that tranzistor minituarization is slowing down(rumors are that we won't pass lower then 11nm of CMOS manufacturing processes).
Which means that ARM will catch up Intel and AMD. And it already has lower consumption.

And yes, ARM is the biggest processor manufacturer when measured by quantity.

ARM doesn't manufacture anything.

[MasterLee]

...
I suspect you do not really know how many ARM systems are out there. ARM and MIPS devices are in cars, toasters, microwave ovens, bicycles, washing machines, your TV, refrigerators and all other devices you can think of.

There are no x86 smartphones currently. And in laptops, tablets and other MIDs prediction is that they will overtake x86 by 2013.

Intel's legacy compatibility is really holding it back against gaining a foothold in low-consumption CE equipment.

I already knew that there are many ARM based CPUs out there (even Softcores on FPGAs). There also pretty much PowerPC based systems out there. But that's complety irrlevant to the PCs. Even Apple switched to Intel Architecture. And look at that list http://wiki.osdev.org/Projects there only few non Intel/AMD compatible project on that list.

[Dario]

ARM doesn't manufacture anything.

Really, not sure what you mean by that....

[quok]

ARM doesn't manufacture anything.

Really, not sure what you mean by that....

ARM just licenses the design to other chip manufacturers (like Motorola and Texas Instruments) that do the actual chip manufacturing.

[Dario]

ARM just licenses the design to other chip manufacturers (like Motorola and Texas Instruments) that do the actual chip manufacturing.

I really didn't know that. So they only license IP. That explains the diversity of ARM chips.
Thank you!

[MasterLee]

The desktop PCs are largely irrelevant nowadays (in volumes) and for the rest of the herd - ARM will overtake by 2013.

There are currently no ARM based CPUs in top500 list of Supercomputers. And i don't think that will change soon. The same is on the server market.