What does the “x” in “x86” represent? Announcing the arrival of Valued Associate #679:...
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What does the “x” in “x86” represent?
Announcing the arrival of Valued Associate #679: Cesar Manara
Planned maintenance scheduled April 17/18, 2019 at 00:00UTC (8:00pm US/Eastern)What we commonly call PCs are in fact ATs, correct?The start of x86: Intel 8080 vs Intel 8086?x86 as a Pascal Machine?How do you put a 286 in Protected Mode?Why does Oracle use MINUS instead of EXCEPT?How to use the “darker” CGA palette using x86 Assembly?Does anyone have an x86 EGA draw pixel routine?Examples of operating systems using hardware task switching of x86 CPUsCan an x86 CPU running in real mode be considered to be basically an 8086 CPU?What was the last x86 CPU that did not have the x87 floating-point unit built in?
I have read the following in the x86 Wikipedia page:
The term "x86" came into being because the names of several successors
to Intel's 8086 processor end in "86", including the 80186, 80286,
80386 and 80486 processors.
But what does the "x" in "x86" represent? Is it a "variable" that can be something like "801" or "286" or "803" or "804"?
cpu x86 terminology
asked 7 hours ago
user12302user12302
262
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user12302 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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I have read the following in the x86 Wikipedia page:
The term "x86" came into being because the names of several successors
to Intel's 8086 processor end in "86", including the 80186, 80286,
80386 and 80486 processors.
But what does the "x" in "x86" represent? Is it a "variable" that can be something like "801" or "286" or "803" or "804"?
cpu x86 terminology
asked 7 hours ago
user12302user12302
262
New contributor
user12302 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
I have read the following in the x86 Wikipedia page:
The term "x86" came into being because the names of several successors
to Intel's 8086 processor end in "86", including the 80186, 80286,
80386 and 80486 processors.
But what does the "x" in "x86" represent? Is it a "variable" that can be something like "801" or "286" or "803" or "804"?
cpu x86 terminology
asked 7 hours ago
user12302user12302
262
New contributor
user12302 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I have read the following in the x86 Wikipedia page:
The term "x86" came into being because the names of several successors
to Intel's 8086 processor end in "86", including the 80186, 80286,
80386 and 80486 processors.
But what does the "x" in "x86" represent? Is it a "variable" that can be something like "801" or "286" or "803" or "804"?
cpu x86 terminology
cpu x86 terminology
asked 7 hours ago
user12302user12302
262
New contributor
user12302 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 7 hours ago
user12302user12302
262
New contributor
user12302 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 7 hours ago
user12302user12302
262
New contributor
user12302 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 7 hours ago
user12302user12302
262
asked 7 hours ago
user12302user12302
262
262
New contributor
user12302 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
user12302 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
user12302 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
add a comment |
4 Answers
4
active
oldest
votes
The term x86 is shorthand for 80x86, which was used to refer to any member of the family 8086 (and also, incidently, 8088), 80186, 80286, etc. Things have since gotten a bit muddled by the fact that while an 80386 had a mode that was compatible with the old architecture, it also introduced some fundamentally new ways of doing things which were shared by the 80486 as well as "named" processors like the Pentium, Pentium Pro, etc., and thus it is sometimes ambiguous whether the name "x86" is used in reference to the architecture that started with the 8086, or the one which had its debut with the 80386.
answered 6 hours ago
supercatsupercat
7,520741
"80386...introduced a fundamentally new mode" - Are you referring to protected mode, actually introduced with the 80286? Virtual 8086 mode from the '386? Something else?
– Brian H
4 hours ago
@BrianH: Perhaps "mode" wasn't the best term. Maybe "ways of doing things" is better, though some of those new ways of doing things also included new 32-bit modes. Perhaps the most important point is that compilers targeting code for the 80386 and later processors will tend to do things fundamentally differently from those targeting the 80286 and earlier processors, so they really should be viewed as distinct architectures.
– supercat
3 hours ago
@BrianH, 32-bit protected mode with paging and all that is pretty much fundamentally different from the 16-bit protected mode in the 286.
– ilkkachu
1 hour ago
add a comment |
x is meant as wildcard, so this represents all CPUs able to run 8086 compatible code.
answered 7 hours ago
RaffzahnRaffzahn
56.3k6136226
2
This answer is so far the only answer that addresses the original question about what the "x" represents.
– G. Tranter
2 hours ago
add a comment |
In modern usage it also means software which only uses the 32-bit architecture of the earlier 80x86 processors, to distinguish it from 64-bit applications.
Microsoft uses it that way on 64-bit versions of Windows, which have two separate directories called "Program Files" and "Program Files (x86)."
The 32-bit applications will run on 64-bit hardware, but the OS needs to provide the appropriate 32 or 64 bit interface at run-time.
answered 6 hours ago
alephzeroalephzero
2,4431816
add a comment |
It just means any processor compatible with same architecture.
So it includes 8088, 8086, 80186, 80286, 80386, 80486, Pentium, etc..
answered 7 hours ago
JustmeJustme
3493
add a comment |
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4 Answers
4
active
oldest
votes
4 Answers
4
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
The term x86 is shorthand for 80x86, which was used to refer to any member of the family 8086 (and also, incidently, 8088), 80186, 80286, etc. Things have since gotten a bit muddled by the fact that while an 80386 had a mode that was compatible with the old architecture, it also introduced some fundamentally new ways of doing things which were shared by the 80486 as well as "named" processors like the Pentium, Pentium Pro, etc., and thus it is sometimes ambiguous whether the name "x86" is used in reference to the architecture that started with the 8086, or the one which had its debut with the 80386.
answered 6 hours ago
supercatsupercat
7,520741
"80386...introduced a fundamentally new mode" - Are you referring to protected mode, actually introduced with the 80286? Virtual 8086 mode from the '386? Something else?
– Brian H
4 hours ago
@BrianH: Perhaps "mode" wasn't the best term. Maybe "ways of doing things" is better, though some of those new ways of doing things also included new 32-bit modes. Perhaps the most important point is that compilers targeting code for the 80386 and later processors will tend to do things fundamentally differently from those targeting the 80286 and earlier processors, so they really should be viewed as distinct architectures.
– supercat
3 hours ago
@BrianH, 32-bit protected mode with paging and all that is pretty much fundamentally different from the 16-bit protected mode in the 286.
– ilkkachu
1 hour ago
add a comment |
The term x86 is shorthand for 80x86, which was used to refer to any member of the family 8086 (and also, incidently, 8088), 80186, 80286, etc. Things have since gotten a bit muddled by the fact that while an 80386 had a mode that was compatible with the old architecture, it also introduced some fundamentally new ways of doing things which were shared by the 80486 as well as "named" processors like the Pentium, Pentium Pro, etc., and thus it is sometimes ambiguous whether the name "x86" is used in reference to the architecture that started with the 8086, or the one which had its debut with the 80386.
answered 6 hours ago
supercatsupercat
7,520741
"80386...introduced a fundamentally new mode" - Are you referring to protected mode, actually introduced with the 80286? Virtual 8086 mode from the '386? Something else?
– Brian H
4 hours ago
@BrianH: Perhaps "mode" wasn't the best term. Maybe "ways of doing things" is better, though some of those new ways of doing things also included new 32-bit modes. Perhaps the most important point is that compilers targeting code for the 80386 and later processors will tend to do things fundamentally differently from those targeting the 80286 and earlier processors, so they really should be viewed as distinct architectures.
– supercat
3 hours ago
@BrianH, 32-bit protected mode with paging and all that is pretty much fundamentally different from the 16-bit protected mode in the 286.
– ilkkachu
1 hour ago
add a comment |
The term x86 is shorthand for 80x86, which was used to refer to any member of the family 8086 (and also, incidently, 8088), 80186, 80286, etc. Things have since gotten a bit muddled by the fact that while an 80386 had a mode that was compatible with the old architecture, it also introduced some fundamentally new ways of doing things which were shared by the 80486 as well as "named" processors like the Pentium, Pentium Pro, etc., and thus it is sometimes ambiguous whether the name "x86" is used in reference to the architecture that started with the 8086, or the one which had its debut with the 80386.
answered 6 hours ago
supercatsupercat
7,520741
The term x86 is shorthand for 80x86, which was used to refer to any member of the family 8086 (and also, incidently, 8088), 80186, 80286, etc. Things have since gotten a bit muddled by the fact that while an 80386 had a mode that was compatible with the old architecture, it also introduced some fundamentally new ways of doing things which were shared by the 80486 as well as "named" processors like the Pentium, Pentium Pro, etc., and thus it is sometimes ambiguous whether the name "x86" is used in reference to the architecture that started with the 8086, or the one which had its debut with the 80386.
answered 6 hours ago
supercatsupercat
7,520741
edited 3 hours ago
answered 6 hours ago
supercatsupercat
7,520741
answered 6 hours ago
supercatsupercat
7,520741
answered 6 hours ago
supercatsupercat
7,520741
7,520741
"80386...introduced a fundamentally new mode" - Are you referring to protected mode, actually introduced with the 80286? Virtual 8086 mode from the '386? Something else?
– Brian H
4 hours ago
@BrianH: Perhaps "mode" wasn't the best term. Maybe "ways of doing things" is better, though some of those new ways of doing things also included new 32-bit modes. Perhaps the most important point is that compilers targeting code for the 80386 and later processors will tend to do things fundamentally differently from those targeting the 80286 and earlier processors, so they really should be viewed as distinct architectures.
– supercat
3 hours ago
@BrianH, 32-bit protected mode with paging and all that is pretty much fundamentally different from the 16-bit protected mode in the 286.
– ilkkachu
1 hour ago
add a comment |
"80386...introduced a fundamentally new mode" - Are you referring to protected mode, actually introduced with the 80286? Virtual 8086 mode from the '386? Something else?
– Brian H
4 hours ago
@BrianH: Perhaps "mode" wasn't the best term. Maybe "ways of doing things" is better, though some of those new ways of doing things also included new 32-bit modes. Perhaps the most important point is that compilers targeting code for the 80386 and later processors will tend to do things fundamentally differently from those targeting the 80286 and earlier processors, so they really should be viewed as distinct architectures.
– supercat
3 hours ago
@BrianH, 32-bit protected mode with paging and all that is pretty much fundamentally different from the 16-bit protected mode in the 286.
– ilkkachu
1 hour ago
"80386...introduced a fundamentally new mode" - Are you referring to protected mode, actually introduced with the 80286? Virtual 8086 mode from the '386? Something else?
– Brian H
4 hours ago
"80386...introduced a fundamentally new mode" - Are you referring to protected mode, actually introduced with the 80286? Virtual 8086 mode from the '386? Something else?
– Brian H
4 hours ago
@BrianH: Perhaps "mode" wasn't the best term. Maybe "ways of doing things" is better, though some of those new ways of doing things also included new 32-bit modes. Perhaps the most important point is that compilers targeting code for the 80386 and later processors will tend to do things fundamentally differently from those targeting the 80286 and earlier processors, so they really should be viewed as distinct architectures.
– supercat
3 hours ago
@BrianH: Perhaps "mode" wasn't the best term. Maybe "ways of doing things" is better, though some of those new ways of doing things also included new 32-bit modes. Perhaps the most important point is that compilers targeting code for the 80386 and later processors will tend to do things fundamentally differently from those targeting the 80286 and earlier processors, so they really should be viewed as distinct architectures.
– supercat
3 hours ago
@BrianH, 32-bit protected mode with paging and all that is pretty much fundamentally different from the 16-bit protected mode in the 286.
– ilkkachu
1 hour ago
@BrianH, 32-bit protected mode with paging and all that is pretty much fundamentally different from the 16-bit protected mode in the 286.
– ilkkachu
1 hour ago
add a comment |
x is meant as wildcard, so this represents all CPUs able to run 8086 compatible code.
answered 7 hours ago
RaffzahnRaffzahn
56.3k6136226
2
This answer is so far the only answer that addresses the original question about what the "x" represents.
– G. Tranter
2 hours ago
add a comment |
x is meant as wildcard, so this represents all CPUs able to run 8086 compatible code.
answered 7 hours ago
RaffzahnRaffzahn
56.3k6136226
2
This answer is so far the only answer that addresses the original question about what the "x" represents.
– G. Tranter
2 hours ago
add a comment |
x is meant as wildcard, so this represents all CPUs able to run 8086 compatible code.
answered 7 hours ago
RaffzahnRaffzahn
56.3k6136226
x is meant as wildcard, so this represents all CPUs able to run 8086 compatible code.
answered 7 hours ago
RaffzahnRaffzahn
56.3k6136226
answered 7 hours ago
RaffzahnRaffzahn
56.3k6136226
answered 7 hours ago
RaffzahnRaffzahn
56.3k6136226
answered 7 hours ago
RaffzahnRaffzahn
56.3k6136226
56.3k6136226
2
This answer is so far the only answer that addresses the original question about what the "x" represents.
– G. Tranter
2 hours ago
add a comment |
2
This answer is so far the only answer that addresses the original question about what the "x" represents.
– G. Tranter
2 hours ago
2
2
This answer is so far the only answer that addresses the original question about what the "x" represents.
– G. Tranter
2 hours ago
This answer is so far the only answer that addresses the original question about what the "x" represents.
– G. Tranter
2 hours ago
add a comment |
In modern usage it also means software which only uses the 32-bit architecture of the earlier 80x86 processors, to distinguish it from 64-bit applications.
Microsoft uses it that way on 64-bit versions of Windows, which have two separate directories called "Program Files" and "Program Files (x86)."
The 32-bit applications will run on 64-bit hardware, but the OS needs to provide the appropriate 32 or 64 bit interface at run-time.
answered 6 hours ago
alephzeroalephzero
2,4431816
add a comment |
In modern usage it also means software which only uses the 32-bit architecture of the earlier 80x86 processors, to distinguish it from 64-bit applications.
Microsoft uses it that way on 64-bit versions of Windows, which have two separate directories called "Program Files" and "Program Files (x86)."
The 32-bit applications will run on 64-bit hardware, but the OS needs to provide the appropriate 32 or 64 bit interface at run-time.
answered 6 hours ago
alephzeroalephzero
2,4431816
add a comment |
In modern usage it also means software which only uses the 32-bit architecture of the earlier 80x86 processors, to distinguish it from 64-bit applications.
Microsoft uses it that way on 64-bit versions of Windows, which have two separate directories called "Program Files" and "Program Files (x86)."
The 32-bit applications will run on 64-bit hardware, but the OS needs to provide the appropriate 32 or 64 bit interface at run-time.
answered 6 hours ago
alephzeroalephzero
2,4431816
In modern usage it also means software which only uses the 32-bit architecture of the earlier 80x86 processors, to distinguish it from 64-bit applications.
Microsoft uses it that way on 64-bit versions of Windows, which have two separate directories called "Program Files" and "Program Files (x86)."
The 32-bit applications will run on 64-bit hardware, but the OS needs to provide the appropriate 32 or 64 bit interface at run-time.
answered 6 hours ago
alephzeroalephzero
2,4431816
answered 6 hours ago
alephzeroalephzero
2,4431816
answered 6 hours ago
alephzeroalephzero
2,4431816
answered 6 hours ago
alephzeroalephzero
2,4431816
2,4431816
add a comment |
add a comment |
It just means any processor compatible with same architecture.
So it includes 8088, 8086, 80186, 80286, 80386, 80486, Pentium, etc..
answered 7 hours ago
JustmeJustme
3493
add a comment |
It just means any processor compatible with same architecture.
So it includes 8088, 8086, 80186, 80286, 80386, 80486, Pentium, etc..
answered 7 hours ago
JustmeJustme
3493
add a comment |
It just means any processor compatible with same architecture.
So it includes 8088, 8086, 80186, 80286, 80386, 80486, Pentium, etc..
answered 7 hours ago
JustmeJustme
3493
It just means any processor compatible with same architecture.
So it includes 8088, 8086, 80186, 80286, 80386, 80486, Pentium, etc..
answered 7 hours ago
JustmeJustme
3493
answered 7 hours ago
JustmeJustme
3493
answered 7 hours ago
JustmeJustme
3493
answered 7 hours ago
JustmeJustme
3493
3493
add a comment |
add a comment |
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user12302 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
user12302 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
user12302 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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