Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!snorkelwacker!apple!amdahl!kim From: kim@uts.amdahl.com (Kim DeVaughn) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware Subject: Re: A3000 CPU slot Message-ID: <6aYp02x3a5xe01@amdahl.uts.amdahl.com> Date: 9 May 90 08:44:21 GMT References: <11207@cbmvax.commodore.com> <11378@cbmvax.commodore.com> <11447@cbmvax.commodore.com> Distribution: comp Organization: Amdahl Corporation, Sunnyvale, CA 94086 Lines: 84 In article <11447@cbmvax.commodore.com>, valentin@cbmvax.commodore.com (Valentin Pepelea) writes: > In article <29VY02MJa5P.01@amdahl.uts.amdahl.com> kim@uts.amdahl.com > (Kim E. DeVaughn) writes: > > > >Well ... you did say you thought multiprocessing would be "a snap", and I > > Semaphores can be implemented using three flags, for two communicating tasks, > plus one flag for each additional task (processor). This is well explained in Sure. But then it's more of a "crackle", than a "snap" :-) > >I'm pleased to see that Zorro-III is supporting this, but couldn't this pose > >a problem when s/w that does this is run on a Zorro-II machine, where the co- > >processor chips can sneak-in in the middle of the read-modify-write cycle? > > Devellopers of multi-processor boards will probably choose to produce Zorro III > cards only. It's a moot point at this stage, but I was refering to the S/W that might be developed. Guess any such applications will have to have a special MP version, or be designated Zorro-III only, or blow-off the idea of MP'ing entirely. > >So we'll have to depend on such applications and/or AmigaOS to be "well- > >behaved" and ask the "other" CPU(s) to flush, if the access is going to be > >made to a memory location that could be shared? Is that correct? > > No support for multi-processing has been put in the OS yet. So data handshaking > models still have to be thought out. Shared areas of memory are likely to be > either non-cacheable, or special data transferring functions will take care > of cache coherency. Which is why this is a good thing to be discussing now. And at least it *is* being thought about. > >Speaking of caches, does the A3000's SCSI-driver "do the right thing" and > > To my knowledge, yes. Great! > >All this foresight sounds very positive for the future. Good job y'all!!! > > > >"Amiga ... the 1st *afordable* multiprocessing machine. While other's are > > struggling to but implement multitasking!" ... I love it! :-) > > Whoa! Wait a minute! We don't have it yet. Nobody has yet made a multi- > processing board. In fact, nobody has yet made a Zorro III board! Just thinking ahead. Make a good theme for an ad campaign, and maybe keep a few people awake late in some other vendor's shops! > >> Never heard of the "poof!" group, but you all now Capt. Crunch, don't you? > > > >Andy Finkel who I first noticed using it. As for "Crunch" ... did he ever > >get his legal difficulties resolved ... anyone know ...? > > I guess we are referring to different Captain Crunches. The term was first used > to my knowledge after I made an appeal for a multi cereal card, hoping Kellogs I must've missed that exchange. I was refering to John Draper, who went by the handle "Capt'n Crunch" back in his phone phreaking days years ago. He was also one of the early Amiga developers, and used to show up at BADGE regularly. (GadEd, on an early FishDisk was a cooperative effort, that he kicked off). He was accused in '86 or so, of duplicating BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) tickets, and all his computer equipment confiscated. Last I heard (a couple years ago), his equipment had been returned, but I never did hear what the final outcome was. Just a bit of "lore", and totally off the subject of h/w, MP, etc ... sorry. /kim -- UUCP: kim@amdahl.amdahl.com or: {sun,decwrl,hplabs,pyramid,uunet,oliveb,ames}!amdahl!kim DDD: 408-746-8462 USPS: Amdahl Corp. M/S 249, 1250 E. Arques Av, Sunnyvale, CA 94086 BIX: kdevaughn GEnie: K.DEVAUGHN CIS: 76535,25