Sci/Tech Intel Is Reportedly Working On A Brand New Faster and Leaner Implementation of The x86 Architecture

[tom_mai78101]

The grapevine has been buzzing with something that is pretty huge as far as developments in this industry go. According to Bitsandchips.it, Intel has started working on a brand new x86 architecture that will succeed the current ‘Core’ generation that has been in force since Sandy Bridge. If true, this would be a pretty huge move since an update is long overdue, and according to the source would happen sometime in the 2019-2020 time frame. Unlike before however, there will be a slight twist this time around.

So when they say new architecture, what exactly does that mean. We talk about architectures a lot as far as GPUs go but the fact of the matter is that the architecture of a CPU works in a slightly different way. Where GPUs have historically freely shifted architectures on a very significant scale, Intel really hasn’t shifted from its primary one in ages. As the inventor of the x86 architecture, it has a cross-licensing agreement with AMD to utilize the x86_64 extension of the same architecture (which is basically the 64-bit implementation of x86). It’s a funny state of affairs since Intel cannot offer 64-bit compatibility without licensing x86_64 from AMD and the latter cannot ship 64-bit processors unless it has licensed the base x86 from Intel.

All this time, and through the generations, however, Intel processors have remained 100% backward compatible with all previous iterations. The same basic architecture expanded over and over with new features with time. Every new Intel architecture that we talk about on here (or every tock of Intel’s PAO cadence) is essentially the same underlying x86 architecture expanded with new features with every iteration. For the first time, however, and if this rumor turns out to be true, things might actually change. Intel might introduce an x86 architecture that we can consider to be truly different from what we have seen so far. The reason? It will be a lean mean, x86-on a diet where backward compatibility is no longer assured. Intel’s PAO cadence) is essentially the same underlying x86 architecture expanded with new features with every iteration.

Read more here. (WCCF Tech)

 

[Accname]

Its the right move. I have learned quite a bit about the x86 recently when programming my own operating system for one of my masters courses. Its a horribly outdated technology. There is so much old shit in that reference its a miracle how they can keep working on this thing without it all going up in flames.

 

[jonas]

I thought they learned from Itanium? They can't afford to build non x86-compliant processors. I'm all for building an architecture with an SC memory model and SC atomics, or at least lightweight read & write barriers, but it won't be possible without supporting x86.

 

[Accname]

I thought they learned from Itanium? They can't afford to build non x86-compliant processors. I'm all for building an architecture with an SC memory model and SC atomics, or at least lightweight read & write barriers, but it won't be possible without supporting x86.

I am not sure about that. I think its just a question of time. At some point the backwards compatibility is no longer needed. I mean there is stuff from DOS still in that specification. I doubt anybody will miss it in 2016. Of course you should keep some backwards compatibility for the features of the last decade but definitely not much farther back.

 

[tom_mai78101]

Either that, or they are just refactoring the age-old mnemonics into more efficient architecture.

 

[jonas]

Either that, or they are just refactoring the age-old mnemonics into more efficient architecture.

I don't understand how that fits here, can you explain?


@Accname I'm pretty sure that many companies are still running ancient software for which the sources have been lost

 

[Accname]

I don't understand how that fits here, can you explain?


@Accname I'm pretty sure that many companies are still running ancient software for which the sources have been lost

I am pretty sure of that too. But you know what? They dont need to buy new processors for that age old software. If it worked well on the old stuff: keep the old stuff.
I bet Intel is still going to produce (or at least sell) other CPU builds that are fully backwards compatible. Doesnt mean they cant produce one that has all that old crap removed. We are never going to get anywhere if we can not convince ourself to throw the old shit out. Its like one of these retarded persons who keep all kinds of trash in their home.

 

[tom_mai78101]

We are never going to get anywhere if we can not convince ourself to throw the old shit out. Its like one of these retarded persons who keep all kinds of trash in their home.

Microsoft Edge and Windows 8/8.1 are prime examples of tossing the old, and bringing in the new. The problem with tossing the old is the massive backlashes that companies wanted to avoid at all cost. That's why you don't see a lot of companies willing to change.

 

[Accname]

Microsoft Edge and Windows 8/8.1 are prime examples of tossing the old, and bringing in the new. The problem with tossing the old is the massive backlashes that companies wanted to avoid at all cost. That's why you don't see a lot of companies willing to change.

But thats different. You NEED to get the newest operating system because MS is not updating the old ones anymore. No updates to old OS's means less security against cyber attacks and viruses. Its not the same thing with hardware. Your CPU does not need "updates" (hopefully that is!). It will eventually break though but as long as there are still some backwards compatible CPU's on the market thats not a problem at all. If MS was still updating the old windows versions nobody would complain about Win8 dropping backwards compatibility. (well, some people always complain, those do not count)