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From: dmocsny@minerva.che.uc.edu (Daniel Mocsny)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: The Sixth Generation
Message-ID: <4698@uceng.UC.EDU>
Date: 7 May 90 18:36:45 GMT
References: <76700193@p.cs.uiuc.edu> <422@dg.dg.com> <1990May3.153742.9750@utzoo.uucp>
Sender: news@uceng.UC.EDU
Organization: University of Cincinnati, Cin'ti., OH
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In article <1990May3.153742.9750@utzoo.uucp> henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer) writes:
>The invisible hand of Adam Smith right now is full of Intel x86 machines,
>and I *refuse* to believe that those are the world's best computer
>architecture!

What architecture is better *right now* for all the Intel x86
customers? I don't mean what architecture would be better if
only it ran the applications, or if only a mass market existed
to drive the prices down, or if only Joe Smallpotatoes could
get it serviced at the local compustore, or if only
programmers with Henry Spencer's talents worked for nothing, etc.

Pervasive technologies are almost never cutting-edge, nor
particularly exciting. Mostly, they are standardized. A
meaningful standard simplifies life for people who have other
things to do with their time, and so it will tend to win in
the marketplace over the whiz-bang "better" alternatives.
"High performance" is almost always synonymous with
"marginally impractical" for most people. But that is no
reason for performance enthusiasts to abandon their hobby.


--
Dan Mocsny				Snail:
Internet: dmocsny@minerva.che.uc.edu	Dept. of Chemical Engng. M.L. 171
	  dmocsny@uceng.uc.edu		University of Cincinnati
513/751-6824 (home) 513/556-2007 (lab)	Cincinnati, Ohio 45221-0171