New Computer Architecture

roxor · May 23rd, 2003

Here's something for you to talk about.

The idea of designing a whole new computer architecture from the ground up. One that fixes all the problems that currently exist with current PCs.

What should be included in such a new architecture?

Don't forget that this new architecture would need to be designed to be able to fulfill the same roles as current PCs.

May 23rd, 2003

well....first they should finally get rid of the pc speaker

**Kane** · May 23rd, 2003

Well it would have to have an x86 translation chip. The problem is that any new architecture won't take off without legacy support.

Maybe when we reach a time that all programs talk to an API rather than directly to the processor, we can start thinking about changing what goes on underneath the bonnet.

**Demigod** · May 23rd, 2003

Well a move away from the x86 architecture would be nice. CISC's improved over the years but RISC is still the superior architecture. The PCI and AGP bus have also gotta go (they'll be replaced with PCI Express soon enough) as well as parallel ATA (serial ATA all the way

). GPUs also have to be redesigned from scratch, with a more programmable and RISC-like architecture (no need for constant DX updates and vendor-specific extensions). Those are the major components I'd change.

**DarkAurora** · May 23rd, 2003

And the new programming languages for it should be closer to scripting languages. Programming languages are just too complicated.

May 23rd, 2003

Quote:

Originally posted by Demigod
Well a move away from the x86 architecture would be nice. CISC's improved over the years but RISC is still the superior architecture. The PCI and AGP bus have also gotta go (they'll be replaced with PCI Express soon enough) as well as parallel ATA (serial ATA all the way). GPUs also have to be redesigned from scratch, with a more programmable and RISC-like architecture (no need for constant DX updates and vendor-specific extensions). Those are the major components I'd change.

isnt there something like that called "Mac"?

..or we do need a real successor to the amiga..

**Shiori** · May 23rd, 2003

Is it possible at all to have an "instant-on" PC? You know, just like TV... turn on the power switch and the desktop instantly appears. I'm not talking about hibernation or standby mode here, they still require the power to be continuously on...

May 23rd, 2003

Quote:

Originally posted by Shiori
Is it possible at all to have an "instant-on" PC? You know, just like TV... turn on the power switch and the desktop instantly appears. I'm not talking about hibernation or standby mode here, they still require the power to be continuously on...

make it like a PDA?

**Shiori** · May 23rd, 2003

I guess, if you put it that way... kinda like the whole OS is put in flash ROM or something like the BIOS is, and apps would be loaded on-demand from a hard disk. So basically the hard disk is only accessed when starting up apps and saving/loading data.... or something along those lines. :embl:

Hanamichi · May 23rd, 2003

I remember reading an article of a group claiming to be developing that technology. It will still use the usual OSs though. That was on the papers last year I think.

We need petrol powered computers. Screw electricity.

**Betamax** · May 23rd, 2003

Well it;s a nice idea, but the problem would be changing the OS would be a pain and much more risky.

Anyways the utimate computer would be voice activated and programmed, have an infinite amount of storage and would be totally free of course

Hanamichi · May 23rd, 2003

Probably not, if there are any the problems would be the prices of additional hardware. They'd be needing something <small>very</small> fast that holds data physically, like a <small>very</small> fast HD or something.

Chinoz · May 23rd, 2003

Umm....well...we're gonna be needing floppies which store data in the gigabytes, and can transfer data instantly (i.e don't have to be burned, like the cd) and uses Serial Ata 600

**Shiori** · May 23rd, 2003

Quote:

Originally posted by Betamax
Well it;s a nice idea, but the problem would be changing the OS would be a pain and much more risky.

The current way of reinstalling Windows is already a pain, isn't it?

And it'd probs be less risky than flashing the BIOS on a mobo, and much faster too. If it somehow fecks up, I suppose someone could just short some jumpers and the memory's cleared up for another try at a reinstall. :embl:

**Demigod** · May 23rd, 2003

Quote:

Originally posted by Samor
isnt there something like that called "Mac"?

..or we do need a real successor to the amiga..

Well, the Mac PowerPC CPU is superior to the PC x86 CPU, although the x86 has surpassed it in terms of performance and speed (Intel's done a lot of work towards that end). If the Mac had the software library of PCs, had a dedicated leader like Intel, and was cheaper it would be a very aggressive competitor to PCs.

The upgrades I mentioned in my post were mostly concerning old and outdated PC technologies that should have been replaced a long time ago (x86, PCI, parallel ATA).

Quote:

Originally posted by Shiori
The current way of reinstalling Windows is already a pain, isn't it? And it'd probs be less risky than flashing the BIOS on a mobo, and much faster too. If it somehow fecks up, I suppose someone could just short some jumpers and the memory's cleared up for another try at a reinstall. :embl:

But imagine how painful it would be to uninstall/install drivers and other software that "plugs into" the OS (such as Office). In fact when you install anything it writes to the registry (and often times creates some shared DLLs) so you'd have to flash things quite a bit. Installing hardware would also be a pain.

Aside from loading system files and start-up programs it also has to setup network properties, which always takes a few seconds to do. There would have to be some loading regardless if the PC was from ROM or from the hard drive.

May 23rd, 2003

easy enough ; new os = new rom cartridge. Insert and go

you just have to use something that works different from a windows registry...
take a look at how it was done in old home computers...those things had good points; my MSX boots up instantly; no pc can do that

bmecoli · May 23rd, 2003

Quote:

Originally posted by Shiori
Is it possible at all to have an "instant-on" PC? You know, just like TV... turn on the power switch and the desktop instantly appears. I'm not talking about hibernation or standby mode here, they still require the power to be continuously on...

correction... that's only standby

hibernation takes a snapshot of the memory and then shuts down COMPLETELY. When you reboot, it reloads the image back into memory.

takes I would say... 10 to 30 seconds, depending on the machine... actually 32 seconds on mine ;p (yes I just pushed the power button and right when I turned it back on I timed it)

Kid A · May 23rd, 2003

We should get rid of floppies once and for all.

May 23rd, 2003

true. use flashcards or those USB thingies instead....well, or simply cdrws...

Chinoz · May 23rd, 2003

Those USB thingies are brilliant. Just that the higher capacity modules are way overpriced.

May 23rd, 2003	#1 (permalink)
roxor Nutcase Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Great Southern Land Posts: 703	New Computer Architecture Here's something for you to talk about. The idea of designing a whole new computer architecture from the ground up. One that fixes all the problems that currently exist with current PCs. What should be included in such a new architecture? Don't forget that this new architecture would need to be designed to be able to fulfill the same roles as current PCs. __________________ "I feel that if a person can't communicate, the very least he can do is to shut up!" - Tom Lehrer

May 23rd, 2003	#3 (permalink)
Kane 邪魔ゎ指せない Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Gosport, England Posts: 26,255	Well it would have to have an x86 translation chip. The problem is that any new architecture won't take off without legacy support. Maybe when we reach a time that all programs talk to an API rather than directly to the processor, we can start thinking about changing what goes on underneath the bonnet. __________________ >Site Live< Pop over to my site for help with setting up PSX emulators. Help for the Final Fantasies and other RPGs avalaible Celes: (Desktop) Athlon 64 X2 4200+, 2Gb 400MHz DDR Ram, MSI K8N Platinum, GeForce 8800 GTS 320Mb, 500Gb RAID HDD, Vista Business Erika: (MCPC) Athlon XP 2400+, 1Gb 400MHz DDR Ram, geForce 6800 256Mb, 80Gb Hdd, XP 2005 MCE Kimiko: (Desktop 2) Athlon 64 3000+, 512Mb 400MHz DDR Ram, Asus K8V, geForce 6800 128Mb

May 23rd, 2003	#4 (permalink)
Demigod これはバタスです Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Posts: 5,811	Well a move away from the x86 architecture would be nice. CISC's improved over the years but RISC is still the superior architecture. The PCI and AGP bus have also gotta go (they'll be replaced with PCI Express soon enough) as well as parallel ATA (serial ATA all the way). GPUs also have to be redesigned from scratch, with a more programmable and RISC-like architecture (no need for constant DX updates and vendor-specific extensions). Those are the major components I'd change. __________________ CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450 @ 2.66 Ghz (Yorkfield) Mobo: Intel DX48BT2 Memory: 2048 MB PC10600 DDR3 Videocard: PNY Geforce 9800 GX2 PCIe w/ 1024 MB GDDR3 Soundcard: On-board SigmaTel High Definition Audio Hard drive: 300 MB Maxtor & 1 TB Hitachi Optical drive: LG GGW-H20L (2x BD-R DL) OS: Microsoft Windows Vista (32-bit)

May 23rd, 2003	#7 (permalink)
Shiori :3 Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Seoul, South Korea Posts: 10,116	Is it possible at all to have an "instant-on" PC? You know, just like TV... turn on the power switch and the desktop instantly appears. I'm not talking about hibernation or standby mode here, they still require the power to be continuously on... __________________ "...And when I finally meet you again, I want to ask you - have you found what you were looking for? Because that's what I felt you were doing, all these years. And I want to hear you answer, "Yes, I have, thank you for asking," and we'll be together again, until the end of our days..."

May 23rd, 2003	#9 (permalink)
Shiori :3 Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Seoul, South Korea Posts: 10,116	I guess, if you put it that way... kinda like the whole OS is put in flash ROM or something like the BIOS is, and apps would be loaded on-demand from a hard disk. So basically the hard disk is only accessed when starting up apps and saving/loading data.... or something along those lines. :embl: __________________ "...And when I finally meet you again, I want to ask you - have you found what you were looking for? Because that's what I felt you were doing, all these years. And I want to hear you answer, "Yes, I have, thank you for asking," and we'll be together again, until the end of our days..."

May 23rd, 2003	#2 (permalink)
Samor Guest Posts: n/a	well....first they should finally get rid of the pc speaker

May 23rd, 2003	#5 (permalink)
DarkAurora Back from the dead Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Seymour, TN Posts: 3,735	And the new programming languages for it should be closer to scripting languages. Programming languages are just too complicated.

May 23rd, 2003	#10 (permalink)
Hanamichi Crotally Tazy Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Malaysia Posts: 4,562	I remember reading an article of a group claiming to be developing that technology. It will still use the usual OSs though. That was on the papers last year I think. We need petrol powered computers. Screw electricity.

May 23rd, 2003	#11 (permalink)
Betamax Resident Movie Critic Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland Posts: 9,480	Well it;s a nice idea, but the problem would be changing the OS would be a pain and much more risky. Anyways the utimate computer would be voice activated and programmed, have an infinite amount of storage and would be totally free of course __________________ Superior marketing of an inferior product will always win over inferior marketing of a superior product.

May 23rd, 2003	#12 (permalink)
Hanamichi Crotally Tazy Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Malaysia Posts: 4,562	Probably not, if there are any the problems would be the prices of additional hardware. They'd be needing something <small>very</small> fast that holds data physically, like a <small>very</small> fast HD or something.

May 23rd, 2003	#13 (permalink)
Chinoz ... Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Desa Park, Key Ell, Malaysia Posts: 2,301	Umm....well...we're gonna be needing floppies which store data in the gigabytes, and can transfer data instantly (i.e don't have to be burned, like the cd) and uses Serial Ata 600 __________________ System specs P4 2.6c \| Abit AI7 \| Radeon 9800pro \| 1024mb kingston ddr400 \| 120gb seagate sata \| 40mb wd \| And all the minor bits and pieces 3dMark2001SE

May 23rd, 2003	#16 (permalink)
Samor Guest Posts: n/a	easy enough ; new os = new rom cartridge. Insert and go you just have to use something that works different from a windows registry... take a look at how it was done in old home computers...those things had good points; my MSX boots up instantly; no pc can do that

May 23rd, 2003	#18 (permalink)
Kid A ~ Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 0	We should get rid of floppies once and for all.

May 23rd, 2003	#19 (permalink)
Samor Guest Posts: n/a	true. use flashcards or those USB thingies instead....well, or simply cdrws...

May 23rd, 2003	#20 (permalink)
Chinoz ... Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Desa Park, Key Ell, Malaysia Posts: 2,301	Those USB thingies are brilliant. Just that the higher capacity modules are way overpriced. __________________ System specs P4 2.6c \| Abit AI7 \| Radeon 9800pro \| 1024mb kingston ddr400 \| 120gb seagate sata \| 40mb wd \| And all the minor bits and pieces 3dMark2001SE

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