Xref: utzoo comp.unix.amiga:111 comp.sys.amiga.misc:346 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!apple!agate!shelby!msi.umn.edu!noc.MR.NET!gacvx2.gac.edu!gacvx2.gac.edu!scott From: scott@texnext.gac.edu (Scott Hess) Newsgroups: comp.unix.amiga,comp.sys.amiga.misc Subject: Re: Adding Symmetric Multiprocessing to Amiga UNIX. Message-ID: Date: 29 Jan 91 18:03:34 GMT References: <1991Jan29.024542.1@ccvax.iastate.edu> Organization: Gustavus Adolphus College Lines: 40 Nntp-Posting-Host: texnext.gac.edu In-reply-to: taab5@ccvax.iastate.edu's message of 29 Jan 91 08:45:42 GMTLines: 40 In article <1991Jan29.024542.1@ccvax.iastate.edu> taab5@ccvax.iastate.edu (Marc Barrett) writes: If Commodore could do the same, and add symmetric multiprocessing to Amiga UNIX, this would permit both of the processors to be used at once in a multiprocessor Amiga 3000. More importantly, it would allow Commodore to join only a handful of other companies that produce multiprocessor UNIX workstation systems. Not only would Commodore have a true multiprocessor workstation, but their could market this system at less than 1/3 the price of other similar multiprocessor systems. Actually, I don't know how worth it it would be to have symmetric multiprocessing with a 68040 and a 68030 working in tandem. The '040 is quite a bit better (this is sort of like an 8088/80286 team, or 68030/68000 team, though not quite _that_ bad). I think an easier, and more than likely faster, route would be to offload io processing to the 68030. This works well for many machines, and when you're running Unix, it's really an advantage. One problem with cheap (not as in flakey - cheap in $$) Unix systems is that they have cheap peripherals. And cheap peripherals means that the CPU is doing work on behalf of the peripheral to make up for lack of capability, in general. For example, look at all the cheap MSDOS-world hard drives - most are cheap because the controller's intelligence (as it were) looks much like a PC clone . . . :-). Having a second CPU to handle the disk drive requests and networking would be alot like having all the advantages of brains on the peripherals without actually having any brains there. With the '040's speed, I think that the '040 could easily keep the '030 busy, esp. if it was accelerated (>25Mhz). > -MB- Good post, though. -- scott hess scott@gac.edu Independent NeXT Developer GAC Undergrad "Tried anarchy, once. Found it had too many constraints . . ." "Buy `Sweat 'n wit '2 Live Crew'`, a new weight loss program by Richard Simmons . . ."