but are all the extra functions helpful to your current task in the prog? If not, less is optimization.

No, that's not what I mean. Each instruction does more at one time. Maybe a RISC instruction can increment a register, then the next one can store that in memory, whereas a CISC instruction might be able to do all that (and more) in one instruction.

but what if you only needed to increment it, and not store it in memory? The extra features aren't always helpful, and also, 2 commands taking 2-3 cycles apiece is still better than one taking 10-12.

Sure, there are advantages to CISC processors, but really, x86 isn't the best optimized one around, and ARM was designed to be extremely optimized. CISC vs RISC I won't try to argue, but ARM vs x86, well

I don't think I agree, but how about we agree to disagree and get back on-topic? Perhaps Albert will reappear and tell us the status of this project.

OK

Beagle/Video game handheld ie NDS would suit his needs best IMHO, minus the costs.

Yeah, that's not a bad idea at all.