Difference between revisions of "Motorola M68000 Family"
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| − | The '''Motorola 68000 family''' (also 680x0, 68K, etc) is a series of [[VLSI]] [[ | + | The '''Motorola 68000 family''' (also 680x0, 68K, etc) is a series of [[VLSI]] [[microprocessor]]s, successor to Motorola's prior [[Motorola M6800]]. Although the first in the series (the [[MC68000]]) was described by Motorola as a "16-bit microprocessor", the family (which are generally compatible at the [[object code]] level) is generally considered to be a 32-bit. The 68K family is a [[CISC]] architecture. |
| − | During their | + | During their lifetime (in the 1980s and early 1990s), they were popular, initially in small [[time-sharing]] systems, and then [[workstation]]s (e.g. the [[Sun workstation]]) and finally in [[personal computer]]s (notably the [[Apple Macintosh]]. |
In the latter role, their primary competition was the [[Intel x86]] microprocessor line. They are no longer used in personal computers, but derivatives are still in wide use in embedded systems. | In the latter role, their primary competition was the [[Intel x86]] microprocessor line. They are no longer used in personal computers, but derivatives are still in wide use in embedded systems. | ||
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* First generation - internally 16/32-bit | * First generation - internally 16/32-bit | ||
| − | ** [[MC68000]] | + | ** [[MC68000]]/MC68008 |
| − | + | ** [[MC68010]]/[[MC68012]] | |
| − | ** [[MC68010]] | ||
* Second generation - fully 32-bit | * Second generation - fully 32-bit | ||
** [[MC68020]] | ** [[MC68020]] | ||
Revision as of 19:13, 14 November 2016
The Motorola 68000 family (also 680x0, 68K, etc) is a series of VLSI microprocessors, successor to Motorola's prior Motorola M6800. Although the first in the series (the MC68000) was described by Motorola as a "16-bit microprocessor", the family (which are generally compatible at the object code level) is generally considered to be a 32-bit. The 68K family is a CISC architecture.
During their lifetime (in the 1980s and early 1990s), they were popular, initially in small time-sharing systems, and then workstations (e.g. the Sun workstation) and finally in personal computers (notably the Apple Macintosh.
In the latter role, their primary competition was the Intel x86 microprocessor line. They are no longer used in personal computers, but derivatives are still in wide use in embedded systems.
Motorola ceased development of the 68000 family in 1994, when they moved to the Motorola 88000 family of RISC processsors, and soon thereafter the PowerPC family, in collaboration with IBM and Apple Computer.
