The 32 bit microprocessor-a recipe for computation

The largest microprocessors now rival early mainframe computers in computational ability, and are invading areas once considered the prerogative of mini and mainframe computers. Microprocessors with 32 bit data buses are currently the largest members of the microprocessor family and a number of different makes are now readily available. The best known are probably the Motorola MC68020, the National Semiconductor NS 32032 and 32332, and the Intel 80386, although several others types exist. The author discusses how they differ from their smaller predecessors, and describes some of the new developments in personal computing that they have brought with them. The author discusses 8 bit and 32 bit processors, segmented memory, paged memory, virtual memory, cache memory, internal architecture, instruction sets, and coprocessors.<
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