0Throughout this book, we rely on many concrete examples of computer design and implementation to illustrate concepts and to illuminate trade-offs. Most of the time, the book relies on examples from two computer families: the Intel x86 and the ARM architecture. The current x86 offerings represent the results of decades of 2.3 / The Evolution Of The Intel X86 Architecture 45 design effort on complex instruction set computers (CISCs). The x86 incorporates the sophisticated design principles once found only on mainframes and supercomputers and serves as an excellent example of CISC design. An alternative approach to processor design in the reduced instruction set computer (RISC). The ARM architecture is used in a wide variety of embedded systems and is one of the most powerful and best-designed RISC-based systems on the market.
In terms of market share, Intel has ranked as the number one maker of microprocessors for non-embedded systems for decades, a position it seems unlikely to yield. The evolution of its flagship microprocessor product serves as a good indicator of the evolution of computer technology in general.
