Processor Status Word: Difference between revisions
From Computer History Wiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
m Addvariant |
m Proper cat |
||
| Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
Some machines (e.g. the [[PDP-10]]) include the [[Program Counter]] in the PS. | Some machines (e.g. the [[PDP-10]]) include the [[Program Counter]] in the PS. | ||
{{stub}} | {{semi-stub}} | ||
Revision as of 16:28, 20 October 2018
The Processor Status Word or Program Status Word (often given as PS for short, or some variant) is a register in the CPU which records important information about the state of the CPU.
Information typically present in the PS includes:
- whether interrupts are enabled;
- for time-sharing machines, whether the CPU is in 'User' or 'Kernel' mode;
- the condition codes, for machines which keep them in the PS.
Some machines (e.g. the PDP-10) include the Program Counter in the PS.