Wow, I never knew any of that. So, can you still buy 8088s? And, if so, what can they do. Do you need EPROMS for memory? Can they be used in the same way as a PIC can? --- Regards, Chris Pringle Web http://www.latrigg.demon.co.uk Rating http://www.h-2k.co.uk/hexuser/showuser.asp?id=163 IM cpringleUK@hotmail.com -----Original Message----- From: pic microcontroller discussion list [mailto:PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU]On Behalf Of Olin Lathrop Sent: 21 April 2001 14:15 To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU Subject: Re: [PIC]: Voice synthesis > Sorry for being REALLY dumb, but whats an 8088? It's an 8 bit bus version of the 8086, which was one of the first commercially available 16 bit microprocessors. The 8086 was the 8080 architecture extended to 16 bits wide, which was the 4040 architecture extended to 8 bits wide. The 4040 was an enhanced version of the 4004, the world's first microprocessor. The 8086/8088 is also the direct ancestor of today's Pentium line. After the 8086, Intel named these processors the 80x86, with the X incremented each new generation. The 32 bit architecture required by today's operating systems like Windows NT appeared first on the 80386. When Intel got to the 80586 they found some weeny had deliberately trademarked that name just for that purpose. Instead of paying off the weeny, Intel renamed the 80586 to the Pentium. Newer generations are currently named with a roman numeral following the Pentium name. The Pentium-III is therefore what would have otherwise been the 80786 had the original naming scheme been preserved. I may have a few model number details garbled, but that is generally the gist of it. ******************************************************************** Olin Lathrop, embedded systems consultant in Littleton Massachusetts (978) 742-9014, olin@embedinc.com, http://www.embedinc.com -- http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList mailto:piclist-unsubscribe-request@mitvma.mit.edu -- http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList mailto:piclist-unsubscribe-request@mitvma.mit.edu