Replying to a message of Peter Magnusson to Scott McNay:
PM>> 8086 isn't a PC processor ;-)
SM>> Sure it is. It just wasn't seen all that often.
PM> It isn't a IBM-PC processor, that was what I meant.
PM> Never been sold in IBM-PCs.
PM> Don't think its opcodes are compatible with other 80x86es.
Sorry.. these are wrong and wrong, respectively.
There were many 8086-based machines, but were not popular relative to the 88
systems because they required 16-bit interface cards in a day when the 16-bit
interface card was somewhat rare, and relatively expensive. I believe that
the IBM PC/XT interface specifications *DO* provide for a 16-bit bus
interface, but that there was no provision for a mixed bus (8- and 16-bit) in
the same system.
The ***ONLY*** difference between the 8086 and the 8088 is the width of the
data bus, the former having a 16-bit data bus width, the latter an 8-bit bus
width. They certainly do use the same opcodes.
--- FleetStreet 1.21 NR
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* Origin: BIG BANG Burger Bar: Regina SK Canada (1:140/86)
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