Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wuarchive!udel!rochester!pt.cs.cmu.edu!a.gp.cs.cmu.edu!koopman
From: koopman@a.gp.cs.cmu.edu (Philip Koopman)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: Harris RTX, Hitachi AI32 info needed
Summary: here's how to get info on the RTX
Keywords: new architecture?
Message-ID: <6245@pt.cs.cmu.edu>
Date: 23 Sep 89 20:30:43 GMT
References: <135@snll-arpagw.UUCP>
Distribution: usa
Organization: Carnegie-Mellon University, CS/RI
Lines: 36

In article <135@snll-arpagw.UUCP>, russ@snll-arpagw.UUCP (Russ Wertenberg) writes:
>         I am just getting started with an investigation of several different
>         types of computer architectures and it was suggested that the Harris
>         RTX and the Hitachi AI32's would be an interesting place to start.
>         If I was informed correctly, the Harris RTX is a two level computer
>         which interprets FORTH directly to the digital logic level.  The
>         Hitachi AI32 is a similar computer which uses an intermediary step
>         between the high level language (One of 3 or 4 languages such as
>         Lisp, Prolog, Smalltalk?) and the digital logic level.  I think the
>         Hitachi has ROM's which can be switched depending which language is
>         being used.
> ...
> 	Russ Wertenberg

The RTX family of processors is derived from the abstract
machine used by the Forth language. I.E. a data stack,
a return address stack, and good support for subroutine calls.
You could say that Forth is the assembly language of the RTX.

I'm not familiar with the AI32.  However, it sounds like
one of a number of "Forth computers" that are just
regular old processors that have a Forth virtual machine
emulator in on-chip ROM.  They may look like a Forth
chip, but their performance can not approach a true
hardware-implemented Forth engine such as the RTX.

To get more RTX information, contact Harris Semiconductor.
US sales: (407) 724-7418.  They can send you a thick
data sheet that incorporates an instruction set summary
and other useful stuff.

  Phil Koopman                koopman@greyhound.ece.cmu.edu   Arpanet
  2525A Wexford Run Rd.
  Wexford, PA  15090
Senior Scientist at Harris Semiconductor.
I don't speak for them, and they don't speak for me.