Published by IBM in 1994, it allowed hardware vendors to build a machine that could run various operating systems, including Windows NT, OS/2, Solaris, Taligent and AIX.
Apple, wishing to seamlessly transition its Macintosh computers to PowerPC, found this to be particularly problematic.
Key to CHRP was the requirement for Open Firmware (also required in PReP-compliant systems delivered after June 1, 1995), which gave vendors greatly improved support during the boot process, allowing the hardware to be far more varied.
[clarification needed] Finding current, readily available operating systems for old PReP hardware can be difficult.
Debian and NetBSD still maintain their respective ports to this architecture, although developer and user activity is extremely low.