Re: The integral type 'byte' (was Re: Suggested method for returning a string from a C program?)

On 28.03.2025 12:32, Michael S wrote:

[...]
 
Later on, on web, nearly all mentions of  NS32K I encountered were in
context of examples of extreme CISC. I.e. MUCH CISCier than x86,
significantly CISCier than even such rather heavy CISCs as VAX and
MC68020. Of course, not quite complicated as Intel iAPX 432. So, it
seems, it is remembered, but not in a good way.

To me the NS beast didn't appear to be that "extreme" (rather more
"consistent" or "orthogonal" and the like). Especially if I compare
it to CPUs like the SC 61860 (in an 8 bit pocket calculator) which
back these days supported (on CPU level) even a 'case' construct!
It had been an undocumented CPU command (at least in the available
sources I used) but upon analyzing the OS in ROM I discovered it
being used and inferred its operational semantics from the context.
This is what I'd call "extreme CISC". :-)

But many years passed and I'd suppose things changed a lot recently.

Janis