PowerPC Platform: a system architecture

Abstract

The PowerPC Platform: a system architecture specification (also known as the Common Hardware Reference Platform, or CHRP) defines a broad family of PowerPC Microprocessor based computer systems on which Macintosh, PC, and UNIX-based Operating Systems can run without platform-specific tailoring. The architecture covers a wide range of platforms, from laptops to high-end servers. This paper gives an informal overview of the PowerPC Platform, concentrating on the goals and rationale behind the approaches taken in the design of the architecture.