There are multiple ways to get Rust running on custom or retro CPUs. This article explores three approaches—full LLVM backends, Rust-to-C transpilation via Eurydice, and manual no_std FFI—with a practical walkthrough of transpiling Rust to C and compiling it for the Z80 with SDCC.
A review of William Barden Jr.'s 1978 classic "The Z-80 Microcomputer Handbook" - a comprehensive technical reference that covered hardware, software, and complete microcomputer systems built around Zilog's iconic Z80 processor.
An exploration of techniques for running large language models that exceed your GPU's VRAM capacity by loading only portions of the model at a time—layer streaming, CPU offloading, and the performance trade-offs involved.
A detailed account of implementing a complete LLVM backend for the Sampo 16-bit RISC CPU, enabling Rust compilation. This project demonstrates how AI-assisted development with Claude Code can tackle complex compiler engineering challenges.
Bringing the Sampo 16-bit RISC CPU to silicon on the ULX3S development board with fully open source tooling and Amaranth HDL.
A look at how engineers learned to build microprocessor systems in 1983, using James Coffron's "Z80 Applications" as a lens to compare with modern Arduino and Raspberry Pi tutorials. The depth of understanding required was dramatically different.
A biography of George Morrow (1934-2003), the iconoclastic pioneer who helped shape the early microcomputer industry through innovative hardware design, industry standardization efforts, and a commitment to making computing affordable and accessible.
An academic examination of discretizing continuous machine learning models into offline lookup tables for ballistic coefficient corrections. This paper presents a methodology for converting ML-derived velocity-dependent BC corrections into caliber-specific binary tables, enabling accurate trajectory predictions without network connectivity. We analyze the trade-offs between approximation fidelity and practical utility, demonstrating that piecewise-linear interpolation over a 5-dimensional parameter space achieves sub-5% deviation from continuous ML predictions across most of the flight envelope, with predictable degradation in transonic regions where non-linearities dominate.
Revisiting a 1983 Computer Chronicles episode on word processing reveals how predictions about "language manipulators" missed the mark - the real changes came not from easier editing, but from email, social media, and now AI.
A helpful early adopter put the ballistics-engine CLI through rigorous real-world testing, validating the physics solver and then testing a brand new ML-enhanced online mode - with surprising results.
