The idea of MISC is that custom solutions are much more efficient

[John Griessen <john_g@xxxxxxxxxx>]

 > Maximum performance is reached by using
 > hard coded hardware designs. Being able to
 > control the part using a program is already a
 > severe speed-compromise.

[From J Fox]
Yes.  This is part of the MISC design philosophy.
.
.
The concept in MISC is that the required
power of a central processor is actually quite low when there
is hardware that does  the job. I maintain that the truely Minimal
Instruction Set Computer has one instruction called application
or no instructions at all (fully dedicated hardware).

[From J Fox] The idea of MISC is that custom solutions are much more efficient
for some things than general purpose hardware and software solutions.
The parallel port on the Novix chip was a good example.  With it
you could input from the parallel port, AND the data from the
port with a particular pattern, XOR the resulting bit pattern with
another bit pattern, and do a conditional branch on the result
all in a single cycle.

[JG] The argument that a little custom can go a long way fits with the
idea of using FPGA's to start designs Any one else besides Mike Simon
using FPGA's to make custom processors/glue logic?.

[JG] What about plastic transistors for MISC projects?  I've started 
researching that
and read references to grad students printing transistor circuits
with ink jet printers, only the speeds are not going to be high like
micron featured silicon circuits or the next great thing.
Anyone have some good leads
for finding out more about plastic transistors as low speed
computing switches
instead of use as LEDs?

[JG] Also, what is this a reference to, Jeff?
Do you want to make custom light wave calculation engines with a few
instruction inputs togglable by "slow/multi purpose" electronic
controllers like the F21?

[From J Fox] I have thought
of it as ten years of research and education.  I wanted to be in
a position to do something similar in a technology a million times
faster than silicon when it becomes available. (around 2000 ;-)


John G.,  Austex