Guide to RISC Processors

by Sivarama P. Dandamudi

Recently, there has been a trend toward processor design based on the RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) model: Example RISC processors are the MIPS, SPARC, PowerPC, ARM, and even Intel’s 64-bit processor Itanium. This guidebook provides an accessible and all-encompassing compendium on RISC processors, introducing five RISC processors: MIPS, SPARC, PowerPC, ARM, and Itanium. Initial chapters explain the differences between the CISC and RISC designs and clearly discuss the core RISC design principles. The text then integrates instruction on MIPS assembly language programming, thereby enabling readers to concretely grasp concepts and principles introduced earlier. Readers need only have a basic knowledge of any structured, high-level language to obtain the full benefits here. Features: *Includes MIPS simulator (SPIM) download instructions, so that readers can get hands-on assembly language programming experience *Presents material in a manner suitable for flexible self-study • Assem