Power.org has published a new PowerPC ISA (instruction set architecture) said to integrate and unify general-purpose and embedded PowerPC architectures. The non-profit organization has also published a Power Architecture Platform Requirements (PAPR) specification, aimed at helping PowerPC system vendors and Linux distributors create interoperable products.

Power.org is a community organization formed in December of 2004, shortly after IBM announced a “Linux-like” open governance model for its “Power” architecture. It has about 40 members, currently.

Power.org members IBM, Freescale, and AMCC announced plans to create a more unified Power architecture in February, when Freescale joined Power.org. The organization revealed more details about the unified ISA in July.

Power ISA 2.03

Power.org says the Power ISA 2.03 has a “base category” that “provides a commonality covering all types of Power Architecture platforms, including those in the server and embedded categories.”

Additionally, the new ISA includes a set of “optional categories” said to “draw the embedded APUs (niche-specific architecture extensions) into the mainline architecture.”

Power.org says that processors built on the 2.03 ISA will be software-compatible “at the user instruction set architecture level, as with previous ISA versions.” Software developed for such processors will be built with compiler options that reflect which optional categories have been implemented.

Power Architecture Platform Requirements (PAPR)

The PAPR specification appears to be aimed at helping vendors of PowerPC-based servers and high-end embedded systems — as well as Linux distributors — to create products that are somewhat standardized and interoperable. In that regard, it follows in the footsteps of PReP (PowerPC Reference Platform), CHRP (common hardware reference platform), and possibly other cross-vendor initiatives to create a standard PowerPC bootloader.

Power.org says PAPR defines a “comprehensive computer system platform-to-software interface.” As its name suggests, PAPR also specifies a set of “minimum system requirements.” Systems based on the PAPR specification are affected by IBM-owned patents. However, IBM is making a royalty-free license for these patents available to Power.org members, it says.

Michael Paczan, Power.org CTO, stated, “Power has tremendous growth potential in the automotive, networking, wireless, and gaming markets, as well as consumer appliances and industrial control. The release of the specifications underscores the commitment from Power.org members to help simplify development around the Power Architecture platform.”

Glenn Beck, marketing manager for Freescale, noted that “the release of this ISA is the first of many milestones planned for the architecture.”

Availability

The Power ISA 2.03 and PAPR are available now from the Power.org website.

 
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