:?:
Enlighten me. I have always been wondering what ARM acutally do?
Are they a microprocessor/DSP silicon design/manufacturing company? Or is this a company that does ASIC standard library to be licenced by companies like Intel, Freescale.... etc?
The reason I am asking is, most microprocessor vendors e.g. Intel publish their parts as ARM9 or ARM11 ? Does this mean that Intel buys the core IC (silicon die) and package it?
WELL you know there was ACORN .. OH those BRITS /
In the middle of the 80's ACORN decided to compete in the English way against the COMPATIBLE PC's .This little british company designed a new CPU ( NOT COMPATIBLE ) much more advanced than Intel's x86 of those days .Such CPU was designed with a RISC philosophy The machine was cute with new OS and a graphic destop DESKTOP was added.. (i'm trying to remember .. ) So anyways the cute little machine was affordable but well not adopted because once again the lack of programs ..
So anyways the CPU of the little machine was the FIRST ARM chip /
The company decided later to sell it for industrial purposes, To replace the Motorola and other chips The ARM consorcium was born . .The chip has evolved over the years .and it has some dsp capabilities but is not a DSP in the general term is more a general pourpose 32 bits CPU that has also a 16 bit fast mode .called the THUMB mode that allows much more compact code to be written and executed also faster.
A lot o companies sell this chips under the ARM consorcium license
some have escaped their control and are evolving separatly .. Intel bought that division from the now extinct DEC .( remeber the second biggest in the world) well they i think through COMPACT .. well time has passed i used to know all this by heart!
ARM is the industry's leading provider of 16/32-bit embedded RISC microprocessor solutions. The company licenses its high-performance, low-cost, power-efficient RISC processors, peripherals, and system-on-chip designs to leading international electronics companies. ARM provides its Partners with a total technology solution comprising cores, tools, platforms, and other Intellectual Property (IP) components required in developing a complete system.
ARM
ARM is the industry's leading provider of 16/32-bit embedded RISC microprocessor solutions. The company licenses its high-performance, low-cost, power-efficient RISC processors, peripherals, and system-on-chip designs to leading international electronics companies. ARM provides its Partners with a total technology solution comprising cores, tools, platforms, and other Intellectual Property (IP) components required in developing a complete system.