Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!samsung!umich!umeecs!msi.umn.edu!cs.umn.edu!quest!orbit!pnet51!chucks From: chucks@pnet51.orb.mn.org (Erik Funkenbusch) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy Subject: Re: A3000UX - Born to run UNIX SVR4 Message-ID: <4153@orbit.cts.com> Date: 19 Feb 91 15:45:07 GMT Sender: news@orbit.cts.com Organization: People-Net [pnet51], Minneapolis, MN. Lines: 62 david@twg.com (David S. Herron) writes: >In article <1991Feb10.003013.18133@Neon.Stanford.EDU> torrie@cs.stanford.edu (Evan Torrie) writes: >>greg@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Greg Harp) writes: >>>Well, the "really fast" quality of the NeXT will pale when the 040 cards ship >>>for the Amiga. Given the system architectures and OSes of the two machines, >>>the Amiga will be faster. That's a fact. >> >> This is not a "fact". This is a vapourware opinion. > >er.. no > >It's slightly more solid than vapor, but still not on the shelves. > >The 3rd party vendors have been talking about 040 coprocessor cards >since at least last summer. There have been reports of demonstration >models being shown late last fall. > >There's that CPU slot in the A3000 just sitting there waiting & ready >for an 040 processor. The experiences with A2000 coprocessor cards >was that they worked pretty well but the slowness of the ZORRO-II bus >was a problem. So these cards had to be very expensive since they >included 32-bit memory and disk controllers, it was almost like buying >a whole new computer. The top-end card, the 50 MHz 030 card runs >close to $5000 with a bunch of memory and an 80 meg drive. > >The ZORRO-III bus is close to 10 times faster and is 32-bit. This Well, the 3000 cpu expansion slot is NOT a zorro III slot. it is a special 200 pin "cpu direct" (to quote Apple Propoganda). >means that an 040 coprocessor for it won't _need_ expansion capability >on _that_ card. Meaning that it will be little more than a card with >a processor (or two; 68882) on it. hehehehehehehe... one of the best features of the 040 is that it INCLUDES the FPU on the CPU. this means an 882 is not only not needed, but there isn't any support circuitry on the chip for one. the 040's FPU is also claimed to have been rewriten and be 10x as efficient. > >This _is_ the main part which bothers me about getting an A3000. >That I'll be buying the machine and then (assumably) shortly afterwards >getting a CPU upgrade to an 040 .. Well, there is really little that needs to be done to interface thee 040 into the system. since most of the support circuitry is already on the motherboard. it'll be little more than the CPU and some glue logic. interfacing an 040 into a 2000 system would be a major undertaking though, since the 040 is missing dynamic bus resizing like the 020 and 030 had. so circuitry would have to be created to resize the bus to 16 bits. > >-- ><- David Herron, an MMDF & WIN/MHS guy, ><- Formerly: David Herron -- NonResident E-Mail Hack ><- ><- MS-DOS ... The ultimate computer virus. UUCP: {amdahl!bungia, crash}!orbit!pnet51!chucks ARPA: crash!orbit!pnet51!chucks@nosc.mil INET: chucks@pnet51.orb.mn.org