Editing Motorola 68000 series (section)

==Other variants==
The Personal Computers [[XT/370]] and [[AT/370]] [[PC-based IBM-compatible mainframes]] each included two modified Motorola 68000 processors with custom [[microcode]] to emulate [[IBM System 370|S/370]] mainframe instructions.<ref>
{{cite web|url=https://priorart.ip.com/IPCOM/000059679# |title=Implementation of IBM System 370 Via Co-Microprocessors/The Co-Processor... - IPCOM000059679D - IP.com |publisher=Priorartdatabase.com |access-date=2020-07-23}}
</ref><ref name=Mueller92>{{cite book 
| first      = Scott 
| last       = Mueller 
| title      = Upgrading and Repairing PCs, Second Edition 
| publisher  = Que Books 
| year       = 1992 
| isbn       = 0-88022-856-3 
| pages      = 73–75,94 
| url        = https://archive.org/details/upgradingrepairi0000muel_2ndedition/page/72/mode/2up 
| url-access = registration}}
</ref>

An Arizona-based company, [[Edge Computer Corp]], reportedly founded by former Honeywell designers, produced processors compatible with the 68000 series, these being claimed as having "a three to five times performance – and {{nowrap|18 to 24 months' time}} – advantage" over Motorola's own products.<ref name="techmonitor19870827_edge">{{ cite news | url=https://techmonitor.ai/technology/olivetti_to_launch_68020_compatible_mini_from_edge_in_november | title=Olivetti "to Launch 68020-Compatible Mini from Edge in November" | work=Tech Monitor | date=27 August 1987 | access-date=3 June 2022 }}</ref> In 1987, the company introduced the Edge 1000 range of "32-bit superminicomputers implementing the Motorola instruction set in the Edge mainframe architecture", employing two independent pipelines - an instruction fetch pipeline (IFP) and operand executive pipeline (OEP) - relying on a branch prediction unit featuring a 4096-entry branch cache, retrieving instructions and operands over multiple buses.<ref name="computer198709_edge">{{ cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/details/computer-magazine-1987-09/page/n108/mode/1up | title=Edge supermini delivers RISC performance with CISC instruction set | magazine=Computer | date=September 1987 | access-date=18 June 2022 | pages=107 }}</ref> An agreement between Edge Computer and Olivetti subsequently led to the latter introducing products in its own "Linea Duo" range based on Edge Computer's machines.<ref name="techmonitor19871115_edge">{{ cite news | url=https://techmonitor.ai/technology/olivetti_to_launch_models_of_the_edge_computer_machines_as_linea_duo | title=Olivetti to Launch Models of the Edge Computer Machines as Linea Duo | work=Tech Monitor | date=15 November 1987 | access-date=3 June 2022 }}</ref> The company was subsequently renamed to Edgcore Technology Inc.<ref name="unixreview198812_edge">{{ cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/details/sim_unix-review_1988-12_6_12/page/12/mode/1up | title=Currents | magazine=UNIX Review | date=December 1988 | access-date=5 June 2022 | pages=8,10,12-13 }}</ref>{{rp|pages=12}} (also reported as Edgecore Technology Inc.<ref name="techmonitor19880926_edgecore">{{cite news | url=https://techmonitor.ai/technology/edge_computer_corp_read_edgecore_technology_inc | title=Edge Computer Corp, Read Edgecore Technology Inc. | work=Tech Monitor | date=26 September 1988 | access-date=3 June 2022 | archive-date=11 August 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220811115158/https://techmonitor.ai/technology/edge_computer_corp_read_edgecore_technology_inc | url-status=dead }}</ref>). Edgcore's deal with [[Olivetti]] in 1987 to supply the company's E1000 processor was followed in 1989 by another deal with [[Philips Telecommunications Data Systems]] to supply the E2000 processor, this supporting the 68030 instruction set and reportedly offering a performance rating of 16 VAX MIPS.<ref name="electronicnews19890313_edgcore">{{ cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/details/sim_electronic-news_1989-03-13_35_1749/page/n13/mode/1up | title=Edgcore Wins $20M Philips Contract, Four-Year Agreement for E2000 CPUs | magazine=Electronic News | date=13 March 1989 | access-date=5 June 2022 | pages=14 }}</ref> Similar deals with [[Nixdorf Computer]] and [[Hitachi]] were also signed in 1989.<ref name="electronicnews19890327_edgcore">{{ cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/details/sim_electronic-news_1989-03-27_35_1751/page/n15/mode/1up | title=Data Topics | magazine=Electronic News | date=27 March 1989 | access-date=5 June 2022 | pages=12 }}</ref><ref name="electronicnews19890717_edgcore"/>

Edge Computer reportedly had an agreement with Motorola.<ref name="techmonitor19880926_edgecore"/> Despite increasing competition from RISC products, Edgcore sought to distinguish its products in the market by emphasising its "alliance" with Motorola, employing a marketing campaign drawing from Aesop's fables with "the fox (Edgecore) who climbs on the back of the stallion (Motorola) to pluck fruit off the higher branches of the tree".<ref name="electronics198904_marketing">{{ cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/details/electronics-1989_04/page/100/mode/1up | title=High-Tech Marketing: A Balancing Act Between Style and Substance | magazine=Electronics | last1=Waller | first1=Larry | date=April 1989 | access-date=5 June 2022 | pages=100–102 }}</ref> Other folktale advertising themes such as [[Little Red Riding Hood]] were employed.<ref name="electronics19880428_edge">{{ cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/details/electronics-1988_04_28/page/70/mode/2up | title=Thinking of getting into bed with RISC? | magazine=Electronics |type=Edge Computer advertisement | date=28 April 1988 | access-date=18 October 2022 | pages=70–71 }}</ref> With the company's investors having declined to finance the company further, and with a number of companies having been involved in discussions with other parties, [[Arix Corp]]. announced the acquisition of Edgcore in July 1989.<ref name="electronicnews19890717_edgcore">{{ cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/details/sim_electronic-news_1989-07-17_35_1767/page/n21/mode/1up | title=Arix May Buy Edgcore | magazine=Electronic News | date=17 July 1989 | access-date=5 June 2022 | pages=20 }}</ref> Arix was reportedly able to renew its deal with Hitachi in 1990, whereas the future of previous deals with Olivetti and Philips remained in some doubt after the acquisition of Edgcore.<ref name="electronicnews19901001_hitachi">{{ cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/details/sim_electronic-news_1990-10-01_36_1829/page/n19/mode/1up | title=Hitachi Discloses Price, Specs for Latest DASD | magazine=Electronic News | date=1 October 1990 | access-date=5 June 2022 | pages=18 }}</ref>

In 1992, a company called [[International Meta Systems]] (IMS) announced a RISC-based CPU, the {{nowrap|IMS 3250}}, that could reportedly emulate the "Intel 486 or Motorola 68040 at full native speeds and at a fraction of their cost". Clocked at {{val|100|ul=MHz}}, emulations had supposedly been developed of a {{val|25|u=MHz}} 486 and {{val|30|u=MHz}} 68040, including floating-point unit support, with the product aiming for mid-1993 production at a per-unit cost of {{val|p=$|50 |to| 60}}.<ref name="byte199211_ims3250">{{ cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/details/eu_BYTE-1992-11_OCR/page/n41/mode/1up | magazine=Byte | title=New RISC Chip to Emulate 486 and 68040 | last1=Halfhill | first1=Tom R. | date=November 1992 | access-date=12 June 2022 | pages=36 }}</ref> Amidst the apparent proliferation of emulation support in processors such as the [[PowerPC 600#PowerPC 615|PowerPC 615]], in 1994, IMS had reportedly filed a patent on its emulation technology but had not found any licensees.<ref name="byte199409_ims">{{ cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/details/ByteV19N9/page/n41/mode/1up | title=IMS Takes On 80x86 Emulation | magazine=Byte | last1=Ryan | first1=Bob | date=September 1994 | access-date=12 June 2022 | pages=38 }}</ref> Repeated delays to the introduction of this product, blamed on one occasion on "a need to improve the chip's speech-processing capabilities",<ref name="byte199501_ims">{{ cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/details/199501/page/n39/mode/1up | title=On-Line-Access Services Inconsistent for the Blind | magazine=Byte | last1=Lazzaro | first1=Joseph J. | date=January 1995 | access-date=12 June 2022 | pages=36 }}</ref> apparently led to the company seeking to introduce another chip, the [[Meta6000]], aiming to compete with Intel's P6 products.<ref name="byte199611_ims">{{ cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/details/eu_BYTE-1996-11_OCR/page/n135/mode/1up | title=IMS Rides Again With The Meta6000 | magazine=Byte | date=November 1996 | access-date=12 June 2022 | pages=90 }}</ref> Ultimately, IMS entered bankruptcy having sold patents to a litigator, TechSearch, who in 1998 attempted to sue Intel for infringement of an IMS patent.<ref name="electronicnews19980810_intel">{{ cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/details/sim_electronic-news_1998-08-10_44_2231/page/n23/mode/1up | title=Chip Law Firms Kept Busy | magazine=Electronic News | date=10 August 1998 | access-date=12 June 2022 | last1=Brown | first1=Peter | pages=24 }}</ref> TechSearch reportedly lost their case but sought to appeal, also seeking to sue Intel for "libel and slander" on the basis of comments made by an Intel representative who had characterised TechSearch's business model unfavourably in remarks to the press.<ref name="perelman">{{ cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/stealthisideaint0000pere/page/62/mode/2up | title=Steal This Idea: Intellectual Property Rights and the Corporate Confiscation of Creativity | publisher=Palgrave | last1=Perelman | first1=Michael | isbn=0-312-29408-5 | date=April 2002 | access-date=12 June 2022 | edition=1 | pages=62–63 }}</ref>

After the mainline 68000 processors' demise, the 68000 family has been used to some extent in [[microcontroller]] and embedded microprocessor versions. These chips include the ones listed under "other" above, i.e. the [[CPU32]] (aka [[Freescale 683XX|68330]]), the [[Freescale ColdFire|ColdFire]], the [[QUICC]] and the [[Freescale DragonBall|DragonBall]].

With the advent of [[Field Programmable Gate Array|FPGA]] technology an international team of hardware developers have re-created the [[68000]] with many enhancements as an FPGA core. Their core is known as the [[68080]] and is used in Vampire-branded Amiga accelerators.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.apollo-core.com/|title=APOLLO 68080 - High Performance Processor|last=Boehn|first=Gunnar von|website=www.apollo-core.com|access-date=2017-09-29}}</ref>

[[Magnetic Scrolls]] used a subset of the 68000's instructions as a base for the virtual machine in their [[text adventures]].