Microprogramming in the educational environment

摘要

Microprogramming is an alternative approach to the design of control sections of digital machines has been growing in popularity since it was proposed by Wilkes in 1951. (1) A number of manufacturers, including IBM in their 360 and 370 series (2), have designed computers around a microprocessor, but it has not been until recently that the microprogrammable computer has evolved as a practical element of a university's computer laboratory.

Recent developments in semiconductor memories have helped make customer microprogramming economically feasible. A problem that both manufacturer and user had to face was that of support. Most manufacturers are unable or unwilling to provide effective support to the microprogramming user. The remainder of this paper discusses some of these and the advantages gained by having a microprogrammable computer available as a teaching tool.