[Raion]

There isn't really. The modern MIPS64 and MIPS32 processor types are not fully compatible and have a more embedded focus. As an arch, MIPS is basically extinct.

[vishnu]

There isn't really. The modern MIPS64 and MIPS32 processor types are not fully compatible and have a more embedded focus. As an arch, MIPS is basically extinct.

Ummmm... Color me confused, last I checked MIPS sells more RISC processors than anyone in the world?

[Raion]

You're not wrong; especially through third party manufacturers like NXP. However as far as I know all current MIPS uarches are "NRND" which means that they are not recommended for new designs. The impact of this is that yes you might be able to find embedded cores that are still being produced or whatever including potential new packaging to keep up with process strings and whatever processes are the most inexpensive to build cheap processors on.

However essentially all RISC development other than POWER, RISC V and ARM is essentially terminated from what I understand, maybe some of the Renesas chips or whatever still have SoCs, but yeah there is no MIPS, SPARC, PowerPC (and when I say this I refer to consumer type designs, e.g. QorIQ or NXP's E series) etc designs being currently produced anew.

[vishnu]

You're not wrong; especially through third party manufacturers like NXP. However as far as I know all current MIPS uarches are "NRND" which means that they are not recommended for new designs. The impact of this is that yes you might be able to find embedded cores that are still being produced or whatever including potential new packaging to keep up with process strings and whatever processes are the most inexpensive to build cheap processors on.

However essentially all RISC development other than POWER, RISC V and ARM is essentially terminated from what I understand, maybe some of the Renesas chips or whatever still have SoCs, but yeah there is no MIPS, SPARC, PowerPC (and when I say this I refer to consumer type designs, e.g. QorIQ or NXP's E series) etc designs being currently produced anew.

So you're saying MIPS is just resting on their laurels and producing and selling legacy CPUs? Because they certainly don't mind tooting their own horn when it comes to RISC V development:

https://www.mips.com/products/

[Raion]

Yeah, the MIPS ISA is legacy in the same way the HP PA-RISC is.

[vishnu]

Yeah, the MIPS ISA is legacy in the same way the HP PA-RISC is.

Well I'm the first to admit that I don't follow microprocessor development, by any vendor, at ALL, but MIPS seems to be pretty thrilled with themselves about their eVocore processors, and from what they're saying about them, if it's in fact not just marketing speak, they look pretty impressive:

https://www.mips.com/products/risc-v/

I think there's a big difference between making changes to an instruction set architecture and making newer/better CPUs. I mean, if MIPS likes their instruction set then yeah, I don't see any problem leaving it alone. Farting around with the instruction set just makes headaches for the compiler writers, including the ones who work for you.

EDIT: And as I've said many times in the past, the amount of money MIPS charges for their compilers and development environment are, in my humble opinion, ridiculous. But then if you think you're going to sell a million set top MIPS boxes, I guess it's not that big a deal, and that must be who MIPS thinks their customer base is...

[jan-jaap]

https://www.mips.com/products/risc-v/

You realize that if MIPS (the company) starts making RISC-V CPUs, then maybe all is not well with MIPS (the CPU architecture)?