Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!csd4.csd.uwm.edu!bionet!ames!uhccux!munnari.oz.au!murtoa.cs.mu.oz.au!otc!metro!ipso!runxtsa!treval
From: treval@runx.oz (Trevor Luker)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.sequent
Subject: Sequent Machines, what are their strengths & weaknesses
Message-ID: <218@runxtsa.runx.oz>
Date: 6 Sep 89 22:59:01 GMT
References: <1263@syma.sussex.ac.uk> <1309@syma.sussex.ac.uk>
Reply-To: treval@runx.oz (Trevor Luker)
Organization: RUNX Unix Timeshare.  Sydney, Australia.
Lines: 23

Hi all,
	I am interested to know more about 386 based sequent boxes.

	1)	Do the sequent compilers produce truly parallel execution
		of a particular procedure. (Producing multi-threaded execution
		of loops etc.) or does the architecture simply allow multiple
		processes to run in parallel (A la NCR 850).

	2)	I believe they run under Dynix. Is this compatible with "real"
		(AT&T) unix. (5.3 / 5.4 etc)

	3)	Does the architecture "scale" correctly, ie does performance
		increase linearly with the number of processes added?

	4)	The machine that I have seen has 2 dual-processor 386 boards
		with each chip running at 16 MHz. Are there speed up (33MHz)
		options available? What about 486 boards?

	5)	What are your experiences with bug-fixes and customer-support?

	6)	Given a free choice, would you buy another one...

Thanks, treval