winmacman Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 What is the biggest different between PC-compatible computer (X-86 base)and MAC-compatible computer(power-chip base)? Does any one can tell me about that detailly? I mean in the hardware, especially in the CPU. Since Apple computer insist to use thier (Apple, IBM and motorolla) develpoed CPU long time ago(why?). During that time, MAC user can't imagine their apple system can run Windows and *nix(X86 support only version) naively. However, recently, Mac OS can support intel coredual chip (or X86 cpu), it allow windows have change to run on the intel-base Apple machine. Why? Is it about they use the same X86 machine language now? OR what? Sorry, my question is too long...........but I really really want to know the biggest different between PC-compatible computer (X-86 base)and MAC-compatible computer(power-chip base)? Thank you so much Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/12078-what-is-the-biggest-different-between-pc-compatible-computer-and-mac-compatible-computer/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouch Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 OK the difference between powerpc and intel is processor arcitecture. Basically the x86 architecture was designed by intel and is used by amd, transmeta and intel. In order for a computer to be considered x86 it's CPU must support the x86 instruction set (basically a cpu programming language). PowerPC is a processor family developed by IBM and Motorola - it uses a different instruction set to x86, it uses something called a reduced insruction set (RISC) architecture whose instructions are not compatible with x86 processors which use a mainly complex instruction set (CISC). AMD are the exception, as they have x86 compatible RISC cpus. The other main difference between PC's and Macs is that PC's use a BIOS for low level communication between the operating system and hardware. Apple used something called openfirmware and more recently on the intel systems something called extensible firmware interface. This difference has prevented windows from running on the new intel based macs that would otherwise support it. However a number of people are working on a solution to this problem and it won't be long before a method is released that allows you to install windows on intel macs. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/12078-what-is-the-biggest-different-between-pc-compatible-computer-and-mac-compatible-computer/#findComment-75861 Share on other sites More sharing options...
lane Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 Ouch!p0tat0 did an excellent job explaining the way the processors function, let me explain a quick bit about the different types of PPC chips. There are two production PowerPC chips on the market until the Intel transition is complete. The G4 PPC chips that have been used in Apple portables for the last 4 years were once the dominate Desktop chip as well. G4 chips were eventually phased out in both the Powermac's and iMac's in favor of the much faster G5 chips that also introduced 64-bit computing. The G5 chips have a faster FSB an the newer model desktops include modern PCI Express graphics. Read more about the history of PPC G4 & G5 chips at Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PowerPC Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/12078-what-is-the-biggest-different-between-pc-compatible-computer-and-mac-compatible-computer/#findComment-76059 Share on other sites More sharing options...
winmacman Posted March 16, 2006 Author Share Posted March 16, 2006 OK the difference between powerpc and intel is processor arcitecture. Basically the x86 architecture was designed by intel and is used by amd, transmeta and intel. In order for a computer to be considered x86 it's CPU must support the x86 instruction set (basically a cpu programming language). First of all, think you so much for your explaination, but can I ask you................... What is a cpu programming language/x86 instruction set ? Is it just the different between the set of "0" or "1"? But hoe come a lot of *nix favour OS can run on X86 base computer and ppc base computer? Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/12078-what-is-the-biggest-different-between-pc-compatible-computer-and-mac-compatible-computer/#findComment-76649 Share on other sites More sharing options...
c0nfused Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 *nix operating systems work on different CPU architectures b/c they are usually specially compiled for each architecture. The same is true of Windows and MAC OS X. Windows was compiled for the Intel EPIC and the Alpha CPU architecture, and OS X is compiled for Power PC and x86. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/12078-what-is-the-biggest-different-between-pc-compatible-computer-and-mac-compatible-computer/#findComment-76870 Share on other sites More sharing options...
fireshark Posted March 17, 2006 Share Posted March 17, 2006 Openfirmware is also used by Solaris. and the instruction set of PPC is called VMX. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/12078-what-is-the-biggest-different-between-pc-compatible-computer-and-mac-compatible-computer/#findComment-76959 Share on other sites More sharing options...
rasnet Posted March 17, 2006 Share Posted March 17, 2006 *nix operating systems work on different CPU architectures b/c they are usually specially compiled for each architecture. The same is true of Windows and MAC OS X. Windows was compiled for the Intel EPIC and the Alpha CPU architecture, and OS X is compiled for Power PC and x86. More simply (in case compiling and whatnot is a confusing topic), an operating system is written in a human-readable language. A compiler changes this language in to machine language that the x86 or PPC chip understands. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/12078-what-is-the-biggest-different-between-pc-compatible-computer-and-mac-compatible-computer/#findComment-77041 Share on other sites More sharing options...
letni Posted March 17, 2006 Share Posted March 17, 2006 First of all, think you so much for your explaination, but can I ask you................... What is a cpu programming language/x86 instruction set ? Is it just the different between the set of "0" or "1"? But hoe come a lot of *nix favour OS can run on X86 base computer and ppc base computer? If it is not clear, an Instruction set is the set of commands (instructions) and the operands that a specific CPU can understand. Think of it this way, you give a chineese guy and a French guy each instructions to build a bicycle. You have to give the Chineese guy instructions written in Chineese cause thats what his brain processes. You have to give the French guy instructions written in French for the same reason. They are both reading instructions that have the same outcome: assemble a bicycle, but the instructions are not the same. The company that manufactures the bicycle (and the instructions to put it together) we could consider a compiler. When they made the documentation for each language, they started out with a high level concept of what steps need to be taken, before any real instructions were written in any language. Then they translated (compiled) the concepts to put together the bicycle into each language. The reason that Unixes exist on many platforms is because the basic concepts are available for anyone (Open source) to translate into any language so anyone from any country can assemble that shiny bicycle. This level of a basic instruction (instruction tells the cpu to do one task) that the computer CPU understands is where we derive concepts like 32 bit or 64 bit computing. There are 32 1s and 0s that make up that individual instruction. More bits doesn't mean its going to be better in every case. Likewise, there are minute differences between architectures, such as little endian (ppc) and big endian (x86). Think of Little endian and Big endian like reading a sentence (instruction) left to right compared to reading (like they do in some cultures) right to left. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/12078-what-is-the-biggest-different-between-pc-compatible-computer-and-mac-compatible-computer/#findComment-77045 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts