Xref: utzoo comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware:391 comp.sys.att:10062
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!prls!pyramid!infmx!aland
From: aland@infmx.UUCP (Colonel Panic)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,comp.sys.att
Subject: Re: 106 mip PC
Summary: is it *really* shipping?
Message-ID: <4860@infmx.UUCP>
Date: 23 Jul 90 19:28:42 GMT
References: <12487@netcom.UUCP>
Reply-To: aland@infmx.UUCP (alan denney)
Followup-To: comp.sys.att
Organization: INFORMIX Professional Services ("Peace thru Normalization")
Lines: 28

In article <12487@netcom.UUCP> jbreeden@netcom.uucp (John Breeden) writes:
>Does anyone know any details about AT&T's Starserver E? The lit I have 
>says it's a true symmetrical, multiprocessor 33mhz 486 (4 processors).
>They claim a MIP rating of 106MIPS (yea!, I know. That's faster than
>a 3090!), and they are shipping it!
               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
to customers?  really?  

I had been told that the multiprocessor 486s required SVR4.1 (and,
the literature I have says this), and we can't even get SVR4.0 yet 
for our 6386s through conventional channels...

Keep in mind that MIPS comparisons to mainframes are meaningless for
at least two reasons.  One, the 370 instruction set is MUCH larger 
than a 486's, so it can do more with each instruction (e.g. conversion
from packed decimal to binary is ONE assembler instruction!)
Two, they use distributed I/O, so the CPU doesn't have to worry
about losing cycles to disk or terminal I/O.  

Mainframe vs. mini/micro religious war flames to /dev/null...

--
Alan Denney  @  Informix Software, Inc.          "We're homeward bound
aland@informix.com  {pyramid|uunet}!infmx!aland   ('tis a damn fine sound!)
-----------------------------------------------   with a good ship, taut & free
 Disclaimer:  These opinions are mine alone.      We don't give a damn, 
 If I am caught or killed, the secretary          when we drink our rum
 will disavow any knowledge of my actions.        with the girls of old Maui."