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From: ddt@convex.COM (David Taylor)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.super
Subject: Re: Cray tidbits
Message-ID: <103645@convex.convex.com>
Date: 3 Jul 90 20:35:48 GMT
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Reply-To: ddt@convex.COM (David Taylor)
Distribution: comp
Organization: Convex Computer Corporation; Richardson, TX
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>In order to identify a useful point in the space, I proposed the gcc
>SPECmark.  It is not a scalar benchmark run though a scalar compiler;

I disagree.  I've been examining the gcc benchmark of the SPEC suite for
perhaps a month, now, and it is a /very/ scalar benchmark.  Although I may
not at this time release a SPECratio (lest it be set in stone), I can
say that the majority of the 10 SPEC benchmarks smile favorably on the
Convex C-series computers, especially when you consider the price of the
computer.  A couple of them might blow your formidable mind (regardless of
price), but you'll have to wait until we're ready to unveil them.  As of yet,
I have only run the gcc SPEC benchmark using a scalar compiler built for
portability, not optimization for speed, so I can't give you a good feel for
the speed.  However, the profile does indicate that it will be a very
scalar benchmark.

I can't give you a date when we'll be releasing the numbers, but we seem to
be very close.  I've made trial runs of the SPECthruput as well.  The C-series
once again performed very well.  I'll keep you posted of the release date for
the actual numbers.

I am also a fan of the SPEC benchmarks.  I think they're a really good
indication of performance.  However, inevitably, the best measure of a
machine's speed is to see how fast a customer's application will run on it
with a customer's typical load.  Convex's do what they were designed to do
/extremely/ well.  Vectorization and parallelization are very important
factors for most of our customers.  Therefore, our customers are usually very
happy with the product.  We have the /best/ machines in our price bracket for
semi-vectorizable/parallelizable jobs.

	=-ddt->
--

     David L. Taylor, Esq, Performance Measurement Intern, Convex. (whew!)
         (214) 497-4860, ddt@convex.com or ddt@vondrake.cc.utexas.edu
                    Remember, flatulation is only natural.