Subject: Re: FPGA VAX update From: "Chuck Guzis" <cclist at sydex.com> Date: Wed, 02 Nov 2005 16:13:45 -0800 To: cctalk at classiccmp.org On 11/2/2005 at 6:31 PM Allison wrote: I used to buy old mil-surplus boards that each contained six wired-in subminiature (Raytheon CK something or the other) dual triodes--no sockets, the tubes were equipped with wire lead bases and were about the size of those suminiature tubes in the old Motorola Pixie radio. At the time, I wasn't that interested in computers, but the triodes made for some great VHF circuits.

What surprises me about the home-built computers from scratch is the lack of imagination when it comes to architecture. Most are basically one-address-cum-accumulator designs. It would seem that larger register files are much easier to build nowadays and would open up the door to some 2 and 3-address designs.

I've always thought that 24 bits is a nice word size for a small computer. Divisible by 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and 12 bits. An instruction could use 6 bits for opcode and 3 register addresses out of a 64 register file... Variable word length, dataflow, all sorts of possibilities--why be limited by implementing something that resembles an already existing machine?

But then why go to the trouble of wiring the thing up? Write a simulator--it'll probably run faster anyway.