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there should be a continuously updated list of "computers that don't use x86 or ARM" that provides a clear view of the remaining industry diversity. it'd have everything from risc-v desktop boards to ibm z/Architecture refrigerators. there are only so many alternatives
There's also stuff that uses the POWER architecture, but that stuff is stupidly overpriced because lol, lmao
when was the last time someone made a wholly new computer architecture?
probably longer ago than the last wholly new operating system
There’s the Elbrus 2000 processor series, but I think that’s literally only used by the Russian military. But it’s not just embedded, at least in theory there are laptops and desktops based on the architecture
Oh there’s also Loongarch. Even if it’s pretty much just a slightly modified version of MIPS. I think there might also be some Chinese domestic market chip that either is Alpha or is closely based on it.
The Alpha thing is this one https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunway_(processor)? It's found in Chinese supercomputers like the Sunway Taihulight. I'm pretty sure you're either closely working with them in China or never getting your hands on one.
Ah okay. I wasn’t quite sure if it was the kind of situation where certain kinds of postdocs would run software on one of these.
Loongson chips used to be straight up MIPS, see https://cohost.org/dram/post/5512696-the-nix-os-loongson-2
They switched up their architecture to LoongArch from 3A5000 onwards to, IIUC, not be beholden to MIPS to say what goes in the architecture and what doesn't.
Yeah I did know that. Afaik MIPS isn’t being developed anymore either?
Yes. For better or for worse, the last two holdouts, MIPS Technologies went for RISC-V, and Loongson went for, as you mentioned, LoongArch.
No, that's PowerPC, the predecessor to POWER. IBM kept the architecture alive and even made it FOSS. However, all the people that make motherboards that support POWER charge a stupid amount of money. Over US$2000 for just the motherboard?! https://www.raptorcs.com/content/base/products.html
