Talk:P.A. Semi

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[edit] Please Keep

Im trying to flesh out the community surrounding Power Architecture. P.A. Semi is an important part of this since they are the first company outside the AIM alliance to design a Power Architecture processor from the ground up. I certainly don't agree that its a "blatant advertising for a company" so I'd like suggestions to make this article more encyclopedic. -- Henriok 12:01, 24 November 2006 (UTC)

• Might I suggest making that point explicit, as it would seem to satisfy the criteria for notability, and it would make the article more than just an advert. :: Princess Tiswas 12:13, 24 November 2006 (UTC)

I was comming to that. Given more than half an hour to gather sources, references and other important stuff.. Better now? -- Henriok

The comment that P.A. Semi is the first company outside of A.I.M to build a PowerPC processor is not correct. In the 1990s, three start-ups named Exponential Technology, Quantum Effect Devices and Micromagic all designed PowerPCs for Apple. Dyl 17:22, 8 December 2006 (UTC)

The X704 from Exponential was based (in part) on the 604, the PowerPC 603Q from Quantum Effect Devices was clearly a 603. I.e. They were not PowerPCs designed from the ground up outside the AIM. And concerning Micromagic.. I haven't found any evidence that they did a PowerPC design of their own, and this is the first time I hear of it, but it surely sounds interessting! I certainly want more information on this. -- Henriok 11:41, 9 December 2006 (UTC)

You are incorrect. The X704 and 603Q were from-scratch designs. The circuit technology of the 704 was totally different from the IBM/Moto designs. Also, the micro-architecture was different (in-order vs OoO). The 603Q was done without any technical help from Moto (I know all of the designers). It was a 603 in name only, rather is was a R4600 ported to the PowerPC ISA. I don't know much about the specifics of the Micromagic device other than it was supposed to be a high-performance device. You can check out the Oct 28,1996 and Nov 18,1996 issues of Microprocessor Report for the articles on these devices. Dyl 17:39, 9 December 2006 (UTC)

Also, more contemporary with PA-Semi, AMCC acquired the 40X design team and the embedded PowerPC product line from IBM. They're another source of non-AIM PowerPC design activity. Dyl 18:04, 9 December 2006 (UTC)

I do stand corrected. I've corrected both PA Semi and PWRficient articles accordingly, and included the 603Q into my upcoming article about the PowerPC 600 family (User:Henriok/PowerPC 600). I'm sorry but I don't think I can get the Microprocessor Report issues you suggested but I sure want to. If you can dig out more information about any of these processors I'd be very interested. My mail adress is on my user page. Thanks for all the help! And.. AMCC's designs are based on IBM's previous work, about this there is no doubt and they havn't done anything really new yet. -- Henriok 18:41, 9 December 2006 (UTC)