home .. forth .. misc mail list archive ..

Re: Chucks address WAS f21 docs


Thanks for the details.

M. Simon

=============================
At 05:59 PM 6/11/00 -0700, John Rible wrote:
>At 05:45 PM 6/11/2000 -0700, I wrote:
> >At 09:03 PM 6/11/2000 -0700, M. Simon wrote:
> >>At 06:13 AM 6/11/00 -0700, Cyan Cernwnos wrote:
> >>> > Chuck introduced the bus with
> >>> > half the bits positive and half the bits negative.
> >>>
> >>>I don't understand. Why would an efficient
> >>>incrementing system invert every other bit?
> >>
> >>Fewer transistors.
> >
> >...in the carry-chain. He uses a ripple-carry adder, with a little
> >carry look-ahead that balances speed against the gate count.
> >His idea saves an inverter delay per bit, noticeable at 20 bits,
> >especially since his clock cycle is less than 20 inverter delays!
> >
> >It takes a while to get used to, both as a programmer and as a
> >logic-analyser user debugging the thing. But we've talked about
> >adding inverters at the chip edge (in/out) that would make the
> >whole issue moot.
>  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
>I got carried away here: we talked about it, but Chuck didn't agree
>that it was worth it, AND it still requires some thought about the
>difference between bit-patterns and numbers. I didn't pursue it enough
>to figure out whether I could remove ALL the external issues.
>
>(Just want to avoid a 'heated discussion' about it, although reasoned
>research is always welcome, especially around these wonderfully weird
>ideas Chuck has had.)
>
>-John