Billy wrote....
What about the MicroData machines with a build your
own
instructions on the fly?
SortofKindaNotReally
MicroData Reality machines were firmware implementations of Pick (Reality),
not software implementations. As a result, you couldn't actually
microprogram the thing as an end user (normally).
There *WAS* an EEPROM board that would replace the firmware board, but I
don't believe that was typically released to the field.
I used to have two M1600's (the early ones with the wood panels). One of
them did have the EEPROM microcode option but I do know that particular unit
was sent out from microdata "under the table". I had let these two machines
slip through my fingers many years ago, long before I got into collecting.
BUT - on the bright side - I found out a year or so ago that those two
machines actually did wind up in the hands of another collector who is known
to another listmember!
I now have an M1600 that is the later metal panel variety, waiting to be
restored.
Even on the software implementations (which the microdata's weren't), you
could create new missionary instructions from native instructions by playing
some games in the 5-pass assembly process. However, this wouldn't
technically be considered microprogramming as the "native" instructions
would be just whatever the underlying cpu was (68000, PDP11, RS6000, x86,
etc.). So you could create new virtual instructions, but still not really
microprogramming.
Jay