64-bit
architecture
a term describing a computer architecture based around an alu, registers and data bus which are 64 bits wide.
64-bit processors were quite common in 1996, e.g. digital alpha, versions of sun sparc, mips, ibm as/4000. the powerpc and intel were expected to move to 64 bits at their next generation – ppc 620 and intel p7.
a 64-bit address bus allows the processor to address 18 million gigabytes as opposed to the mere 4 gigabytes allowed with 32 bits. there were in 1996 already hard disks which can hold over 4gb. floating point calculations can also be more accurate.
a 64-bit os is needed as well to take advantage of the cpu. in 1996 there were only a few 64-bit operating systems, including os/400, digital unix, solaris (partialy). a 32-bit os can run on a 64-bit cpu.
(2004-05-12)
Read Also:
- 6501
hardware an eight-bit microprocessor, the first sold by mos technology. the 6501 pin-compatible with the motorola 6800 and was the first member of the 650x series. it had an on-chip clock oscillator. see also 6502. (2001-02-26)
- 6502
hardware an eight-bit microprocessor designed by mos technology around 1975 and made by rockwell. unlike the intel 8080 and its kind, the 6502 had very few registers. it was an 8-bit processor, with 16-bit address bus. inside was one 8-bit data register (acc-mulator), two 8-bit index registers and an 8-bit stack pointer (stack was preset […]
- 650x
hardware a family of microprocessors from mos technologies, based on the design of the motorola 6800 (introduced around 1975). the family included the 6502 used in several early personal computers.
- 6510
processor a successor to the 6502. the 6510 was used in the commodore 64c. successors included the 8502 used in the commodore 128 line. (2001-01-02)
- 6526
mos technology 6526