Xref: utzoo comp.sys.amiga.hardware:4300 comp.sys.amiga:70494 comp.sys.amiga.tech:15573 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!samsung!munnari.oz.au!metro!macuni!sunc!ifarqhar From: ifarqhar@sunc.mqcc.mq.oz.au (Ian Farquhar) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware,comp.sys.amiga,comp.sys.amiga.tech Subject: Re: Multi-processor i860 board Message-ID: <694@macuni.mqcc.mq.oz> Date: 30 Oct 90 22:36:54 GMT References: <1990Oct22.152917.26941@engin.umich.edu> Sender: news@macuni.mqcc.mq.oz Organization: Macquarie University, Sydney Lines: 27 In article joseph@valnet.UUCP (Joseph P. Hillenburg) writes: >NO! We don't want an Intel chip in our Ami's! I'd rather have an MC88000, >since any Motorola chip can easily trash it's Intel equivelent. Have you seen the specs on the i860? I agree that it is unsuitable as a general CPU, but the data sheet gives me the impression that it is not meant to perform that function, but to act as an ultra-high performance graphics co-processor. Briefly, the i860 is a 64 bit RISC processor, running at around 50 MHz. It's instruction set is very graphics oriented, and even includes instructions for maintaining a z-buffer and performing matrix transformations through the internal FP ALU. I get the impression that the purpose of the whole design is to keep the ALU fed with data. What it *is not* is yet another Intel chip destined to be thown into the bottomless chasm of MS-DOS ("abandon all hope ye processors who enter here..." :-) Very impressive. However, current price for the i860 (in Oz) is $1440 ex. tax. Also very impressive, extensive, and at a level that would put an i860-based card graphics at about $5000. -- Ian Farquhar Phone : 61 2 805-9404 Office of Computing Services Fax : 61 2 805-7433 Macquarie University NSW 2109 Also : 61 2 805-7205 Australia EMail : ifarqhar@suna.mqcc.mq.oz.au