W. J. Tracz
R. Belgard
Abstract
Microprogramming is an implementation technique. As computer complexity has risen, it has gained increased importance and wider application. As we proceed through the 80's, we are witness to more specialization and divergence between hardware and software. Hardware trends toward VLSI introduce new tradeoffs that are to be evaluated by design engineers. Concurrency and complex security mechanisms in operating systems and databases have extended the software development discipline to new limits. Each of these examples illustrate the trend toward a larger gap between hardware and software. The purpose of this paper is first, to re-examine the role that microprogramming or firmware engineering plays in the design and implementation of computer systems and, second, to analyze its ability to bridge the gap between hardware and software as perceived and affected by various corporate cultures.
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Index Terms
- The sociology of microprogramming
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