EPIC vs x86

[Gamingphreek]

Everyone remembers how EPIC (Explicitly Parallel Instruction Computing) almost replaced the x86 michroarcitecture as the computing standard. Just out of curiosity what were the amin differences between the 2 architectures that made them so different.

Also my main question is: How would the clock speeds compare, which would generally have a higher clockspeed and produce less heat and need less power. Yeah i know im asking a for a pefect CPU but there you have it.

-Kevin

Edit: forgot the O in Question in the thread title

 

[Sunner]

When did EPIC almost replace x86?
My understanding:
EPIC is Intel/HP's name for their VLIW(well, mostly VLIW, VLIW-like, whatever) architecture, which is only found in the Itanium family.
Itanium sure hasn't been anywhere near replacing x86, nor has Intel tried to steer it that way.
The only VLIW architecture that's been somewhat accepted as a general purpose consumer CPU would be Transmeta's Crusoe/Efficeon families.

Correct me if Im wrong?

 

[Gamingphreek]

EPIC was claimed to be the replacement for the x86 architecture a while back. i dont know exactly when but it was reported in this forum. (The highly technical forum).

-Kevin

 

[Sunner]

IIRC Merced was released in 2001, mostly as a development platform, and MsKinley arrived a year later or so, neither was ever meant for anything but server or very high end workstations.
I remember there's been alot of talk about if/when Intel will phase out IA-32 in favour of IA-64, but from what I know Intel has never made any firm statements regarding this.

Anyway, IA-64 and IA-32 are very fundamentally architectures in just about every way possible.
You might like this article over at RWT.

 

[imported_michaelpatrick33]

The plan of Intel was to slowly phase out the IA-32 X86 instruction set over a decade or more and replace it with Itanium, I thought. Thus killing AMD and other x86 clones. Not license agreements i think? I am not sure. Of course AMD has completely upended Intel's timetable and the Itanium's future place on their roadmaps