This book is the primary source of information for anyone developing a hardware platform, an operating system, or hardware component to be part of these standard systems. It describes the hardware to operating system interface that is essential to anyone building hardware platforms and provides the minimum system configurations platform designers must meet when building a standard platform.

Component manufacturers require this information to produce compatible chips and adaptors to use on these platforms, and software developers require the information on mandatory functions and documented interfaces.

The architecture is intended to support a range of PowerPC microprocessor-based system implementations, including portable, desktop, and server class systems, and allows multiple operating system implementations across a wide range of environments and function. This enables new hardware and software enhancements, which are necessary for the development of improved user interfaces, higher performance, and broader operating environments.