By: Exophase (exophase.delete@this.gmail.com), August 18, 2013 9:35 pm
Room: Moderated Discussions
Gabriele Svelto (gabriele.svelto.delete@this.gmail.com) on August 18, 2013 2:12 pm wrote:
> Brett (ggtgp.delete@this.yahoo.com) on August 17, 2013 11:20 am wrote:
> > I Figure ~2 years to redesign for ARM and then MIPS officially goes on life support.
>
> Seriously, if Imagination Technologies wanted to design a new ARM core they'd have bought
> an architectural license right away and not blown a few hundred millions to buy MIPS.
I don't think this is necessarily all there is to it - they probably bought MIPS for the uarch technology/patents more than whatever IP is associated with the ISA.
But turning one of the MIPS designs into a good ARM core is hardly trivial, and IMG could have other incentives to keep it MIPS.
> Brett (ggtgp.delete@this.yahoo.com) on August 17, 2013 11:20 am wrote:
> > I Figure ~2 years to redesign for ARM and then MIPS officially goes on life support.
>
> Seriously, if Imagination Technologies wanted to design a new ARM core they'd have bought
> an architectural license right away and not blown a few hundred millions to buy MIPS.
I don't think this is necessarily all there is to it - they probably bought MIPS for the uarch technology/patents more than whatever IP is associated with the ISA.
But turning one of the MIPS designs into a good ARM core is hardly trivial, and IMG could have other incentives to keep it MIPS.
