Paul Bone

x86 an evolution of kludges

Author
Paul Bone
Conference
Melbourne Haskell User Group
Date
July 26, 2018
Conference
Melbourne C++ Meetup
Date
May 14, 2019
Slides
Slides

Abstract

There's a very good chance that you're reading this on an x86_64, super-scalar, hyper threaded, 64bit, multicore, computer, with SSE, AVX and a bunch of other extensions of the instruction set (if you're using a computer at all, and not a mobile device). If that's the case did you know that as far as CPU compatibility is concerned it'll happily run MSDOS? Yes, a 16bit operating system from 36 years ago!

Intel, AMD and others have achieved this dramatic evolution from 16bit through 32bit to 64bit computing without breaking backward compatibility, (at least with popular software and features). This presentation will describe this evolution, kludges and clever innovations.