Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!rutgers!cbmvax!daveh From: daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy Subject: Re: NeXT-bashing party (hit "n" if you're not interested :-)) Message-ID: <20202@cbmvax.commodore.com> Date: 29 Mar 91 17:51:46 GMT References: <1991Mar17.031448.26855@mintaka.lcs.mit.edu> <15L002.N06Qt01@JUTS.ccc.amdahl.com> <1991Mar26.043648.17656@NCoast.ORG> <1991Mar26.222344.16190@news.iastate.edu> Reply-To: daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie) Organization: Commodore, West Chester, PA Lines: 25 In article <1991Mar26.222344.16190@news.iastate.edu> xgr39@CCVAX.IASTATE.EDU writes: > In addition to the '040, Commodore's '040 board for the A3000 will very >likely include a substantial amount of cache memory, and cache memory is >still VERY expensive. This will, in turn, drive the cost of the board up. Whether or not the C= board comes with lots of external cache, in general, you pay for performance. The NeXT machines don't provide external cache. It's certainly not required on a 68040 board for the A3000, and you could get pretty close to NeXT '040 system performance without it. Extra cache would be a good idea if you want to run faster than a NeXT '040 machine, but it certainly wouldn't be free. But since it's an A3000 add-in, I'm certain you'll be able to choose between several different '040 designs, so you can have your own price vs. performance tradeoff, not one dictated by C=. An '040 board for the A3000 doesn't have to have its own 32 bit Fast RAM. That makes the basic '040 board design relatively simple when compared to an A2000 Coprocessor board, which always needed 32-bit Fast RAM. I think to help differentiate their products, various '040 board Makers will add interesting additional features -- cache, very fast DRAM (also supported by the A3000 Coprocessor slot), or multiple CPUs come to mind. > -MB- -- Dave Haynie Commodore-Amiga (Amiga 3000) "The Crew That Never Rests" {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!daveh PLINK: hazy BIX: hazy "That's me in the corner, that's me in the spotlight" -R.E.M.