PA-RISC Architecture

Chapter 1: PA-RISC Architecture from HP

PA-RISC stands for Precision Architecture, Reduced Instruction Set Computing; RISC contrasts with CISC. Hewlett-Packard was the first computer company bold enough to replace their entire CISC machine families with RISC machines and migrate their users to the new, faster architecture. When HP attempted this it was revolutionary: now RISC is the conventional design for new high-speed chips. A good way to learn about PA-RISC is to read the excellent book Beyond RISC.

RISC Architecture
Machine Instruction Formats
Multiply Without a Multiply Instruction
Delayed Branching
Registers
Quadrants
Long and Short Pointers
Pages, Sectors, and Other Measures of Memory
Long and Short Numbers
How MPE Describes Bits
System Debugger
The Classic HP 3000, Before RISC
Compatibility Mode and Native Mode
Lunch, the HP Way