Book excerpt: With the expectation that architectural improvements will play a significant role inadvancing processor performance, it is critical for readers to maintain an up-to-date,unified overview of technological advances in this vital research area.Gathering into one place material that had been scattered throughout the literaturemakingit difficult to obtain detailed information on computer designs-this importantbook describes the main architectural and organizational features of modem mini- andmicrocomputers. In addition, it explains the RISC philosophy by supplying historicalbackground information and excellent examples of several commercially available RISCmicroprocessors.Limiting attention to VLSI implementations of RISC processors, VLSI RISCArchitecture and Organization offers insight into design issues that arose indeveloping a RISC system, using the VLSI RISC chip set developed at AcornComputers Limited as an example ... discusses options considered during the designprocess, the basis for the decisions made, and implementation details . . . describescontemporary RISC architecture, comparing and contrasting different designs ... andlooks at future trends in RISC research.Discussing the topic cohesively and comprehensively-from initial study into reducedinstructions sets to the widespread introduction of RISC architectures into mainstreamcomputer products-VLSI RISC Architecture and Organization is aninvaluable reference for electrical, electronics, and computer engineers; computerarchitects and scientists; hardware systems designers; and upper-level undergraduate andgraduate students in computer science and electrical engineering courses.