They're simplified hypothetical variants of the x86 processors, according to one chapter.

Ah, I see it in Section 3.3: http://www.phatcode.net/res/223/files/html/Chapter_3/CH03-3....

That is a good question, maybe they had only heard it spoken, so they thought it was 83 86 instead of 8086,80386 etc.

No, the book introduces these serial numbers as idealized versions of the processors. It allows the reader, who is treated as a beginner to processors, to develop a mental model of them without any complications. The edge cases, pitfalls, and issues of the true processors are revealed over the course of the book.

Not sure about the merits of calling the ideal processors by special names.

In France, 80386 was often read 80-3-86 (same for 80-2-86). And eigty SPC three === eighty three.

Never heard of it that way in france with my friends, for me it was always 80-86, 80-88 or just 386 or 286 (or 80-286 if you wanted to sound technical).

you heard 386 spoken "trois cent quatre-vingt six" ? I can confirm I always heard 386 spoken 3-86

FWIW I've always called it 386 (3 cent quatre-vingt-six)..

seems like we found a new pain au chocolat flamewar :p

chocolatine

Pain au chocolat (dx2-66)

well well well .. I think I really heard it that way. Not that it means a lot anyway.