Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!usc!apple!portal!cup.portal.com!mslater
From: mslater@cup.portal.com (Michael Z Slater)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.m68k
Subject: 68040 status
Message-ID: <38696@cup.portal.com>
Date: 31 Jan 91 05:39:33 GMT
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 31

I'm trying to find out the real status of the 68040, and would appreciate any 
comments users can supply. The official line from Motorola is that the part is 
doing great and that more than 10,000 were shipped in December. Moto admits 
that there are some bugs, but says that all have simple workarounds. NeXT has 
shipped some machines, and at least some users seem satisfied. Floating-point 
performance is lousy for 030 binaries, but is good if the programs are 
recompiled for the 040.

However, several sources have told me that the bug list is still lengthy and 
they have yet to see any parts they consider production quality. I've heard 
rumors that HP hasn't been able to get their systems running reliably, and 
that performance is disappointing. Motorola has yet to release any benchmark 
data to back up its performance claims.

The most extreme of the rumors that have been circulating is that Moto is 
cancelling the 040. This seems extremely unlikely, to say the least, and I'd 
bet this rumor originated from one of Moto's competitors (take your pick). But 
the fact that some people believe it indicates how much uncertainty there 
still is about the 040, a year after its announcement.

Is Moto keeping quiet on benchmarks because they don't like the results?
Are the bugs really minor?
Is the chip really in volume production?

I'd appreciate any information users of the chip can supply. I'd be really 
delighted if someone sent me a copy of the current errata list.

Michael Slater, Editor and Publisher, Microprocessor Report   
mslater@cup.portal.com
707/823-4004    fax: 707/823-0504
874 Gravenstein Hwy. So., Suite 14, Sebastopol, CA 95472