The repertoire of machine language instructions that a computer can follow (from a handful to several hundred). It is a major architectural component and is either built into the CPU or into microcode. Instructions are generally from one to four bytes long.
 | Reproduced with permission from Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. Copyright (c) 1981-2009 The Computer Language Company Inc. All rights reserved. |
Additional Resources
- Is Nvidia planning to add X86 compatibility to its chipsets?
- I hope soNVIDIA with x86-64 technology would be Next Big ThingTM, although I'd rather see a new architecture replace the aging x86. 64-bit is just a tack-on feature set of x86. I'd rather see something in line with IA64 from NVIDIA to shake up Intel. I'm sure...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-05
- Apple releases iTunes 9.0.2, kills Palm Pre sync ... again
- Round up the executive and throw them in jailApple's behavior is simply unacceptable.Palm... Shakes HeadNote to Palm: Make a Front end that uses the iTunes DB or quit trying to keep hacking. It is REALLY stupid. A) You will never keep ahead of this.B) Even if you keep fixing it,...
- Discussion threads 2009-10-29
- Apple debuts new 21.5" and 27" iMac desktops; aluminum and glass; SD card slot
- I wish I had $2,000 to spend, it sure does look sweetMaybe some day it will go on sale ..... I know, I'm dreaming.....It's Apple having fun with MSThe two companies do like to play with each other from time to time. What better time than when MS is...
- Discussion threads 2009-10-20
- JVC debuts its first mini-HD camcorder: the PICSIO GC-FM1
- Should Flip be worried about yet another entry into the mini-HD camcorder market? JVC announced today the release of the PICSIO GC-FM1, its first mini HD digital camcorder. The new gadget, built with 4x digital zoom, shoots 8-megapixel stills and 1080p Full HD video in MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 format, storing movies...
- Blog posts 2009-10-13
- Amazon cuts Kindle price, goes global as competition ramps
- Kindle will need more than a Price CutAmazon may have been first out of the gate with a quality e-reader, but they will be left in the dust if they don't add features and functionality in the Kindle 3. And the proprietary "Amazon only" thing will also be a...
- Discussion threads 2009-10-07
- HP MediaSmart EX495 Server
- Editors' note: The HP MediaSmart Server EX495 has a very similar feature set to that of the already reviewed LX 195. For this reason, you might have a slight feeling of deja vu while reading the feature section of this review.Priced at around $700, the HP MediaSmart Server EX495 is...
- Product reviews 2009-10-02
- MSI X340 might be the best laptop you've never heard of
- Glossy LCD? No thanksA Lenovo X300 from the Lenovo Outlet for about $1100 seems to be the best deal to me. For an extra $400 beyond the MSI you get a fast SSD, higher resolution non-glossy display though the viewing angle and contrast is rather disappointing, a second processing core,...
- Discussion threads 2009-09-24
- Intel domination of microprcessor markets reaches a new 4 year high
- Many may claim otherwise, but they build the bestCPU for running the x86 command set. They should be gaining share in a market where people buy based on the best bang for the buck. Now if only the EC could grasp that concept.They need competition though.Competition keeps innovation...
- Discussion threads 2009-09-15
- Generation Y: 'Email is unfashionable and outdated'
- Steve Clayton, Microsoft extraordinaire and geek in disguise, posted an interesting set of statistics over the weekend, via Socialnomics, on the social media revolution - the movement where media and information spreads far and wide through social techniques; Twitter and Facebook being the two best examples. Students,...
- Blog posts 2009-08-24
- Samsung Mondi SWD-M100
- Editors' note: The Samsung Mondi is designed for Clearwire's WiMax markets. At the time of this writing, service is limited to Las Vegas, Atlanta, and Portland, Ore. Customers also can access Sprint's WiMax network in Baltimore. WiMax is not yet available in the San Francisco Bay Area, so our review...
- Product reviews 2009-08-13
- Apple's magic tricks and business spells revealed
- I will give Apple credit for one thingThey wait for someone else to innovate a product. Then they look at the feature set in that innovative product, kill off the features that are of interest only to the 10% of purchasers who actually read instruction manuals and would notice if...
- Discussion threads 2009-08-11
- The! meaning! of! bing!
- they're all dyingcan three men dying in a boat save one another, well I guess cannibalism could work.HP: has cut their printer line so much that I have to wait a month to get a printer shipped direct from themIntel: actually the strongest of the bunch, but your right their...
- Discussion threads 2009-08-08
- The Speakers Group: 'Women will be better represented'
- The last couple of weeks begot a bit of brouhaha when The Speakers Group posted a "top 10 list" of social media speakers that included only men. The Internet backlash was severe from a social media community up in arms, questioning why the speakers bureau couldn't find at least one...
- Blog posts 2009-08-04
- Pioneer AVIC-U310BT
- Pioneer's goal with the AVIC-U310BT, the entry-level model in its AVIC in-dash navigation line, was to meet the three major needs: GPS navigations, digital audio playback, and Bluetooth hands-free calling.DesignThe AVIC-U310BT is a double-DIN unit, which takes up twice the vertical space of a standard DIN-size car stereo, so make...
- Product reviews 2009-07-16
- Spotter GPS Navigator, Dale Jr. Edition
- If you've ever thought, "Gee, it would be great if NASCAR's Dale Earnhardt Jr. could ride with me everywhere I go, giving directions and being awesome," then Rightway GPS has just the navigation device for you. The Rightway Spotter Dale Jr. Edition is a fairly basic portable navigation device PND...
- Product reviews 2009-06-29
- Massachusetts Educational Data Warehouse provides a host of tools
- Massachusetts is not the first state to create a data warehouse for educational data, but it is early to the field with a really robust set of tools for analyzing a variety of student information. For those of you new to data analysis (probably not many of you, but...
- Blog posts 2009-06-26
- Mobile megahertz madness heats up
- Mobile megahertz madness heats upHopefully the race will result in some interesting Netbooks running ARM.Would love to see a quad core ARM with 4 gig of RAM.Where the heck is IntelWhat I'd love to see is Intel jump in this race, maybe with some Atom derivative. Android can support multiple...
- Discussion threads 2009-06-16
- Forbes: No new iPhone chip next week
- Although Apple is widely believed to announce a third-generation iPhone handset at WWDC with up to 32GB RAM and a 3.2MP camera with video recording capabilities, Forbes thinks that it's too soon to see the fruits of last year's acquisition of chipmaker P.A. Semi in the new iPhone. Instead,...
- Blog posts 2009-06-01
- SATA Revision 3.0 paves way for 6Gb/s devices
- SATA Revision 3.0 paves way for 6Gb/s devicesSATA Connectors *are* crap - agreed.Unbelievable that the old molex 4-pin power connector was better than the new one. I never had a molex pop out, but I've have several SATA power connectors disconnect, especially in fold-together desktops like Dells and small form...
- Discussion threads 2009-05-28
- The "erotic services" shell game: hypocrisy online
- The "erotic services" shell game: hypocrisy onlineWhy dont they just make it legal, regulate and tax the crap out of it.If many law abiding citizens continue to break a particular law then the law is no longer socially justifiable. Laws are simply social control over behavors that are unwanted....
- Discussion threads 2009-05-14
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