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From: danw@tbird9.prime.com (Dan Westerberg)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: Snakebytes (long -- and poisonous?)
Message-ID: <1991Apr5.173252@tbird9.prime.com>
Date: 5 Apr 91 22:32:52 GMT
References: <1996@kuling.UUCP> <32580012@hpcuhe.cup.hp.com> <1991Apr5.183233.26573@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>
Reply-To: danw@tbird9.prime.com (Dan Westerberg)
Organization: Prime Computer
Lines: 41
Nntp-Posting-Host: tbird9

In article <1991Apr5.183233.26573@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>, clc5q@madras.cs.Virginia.EDU (Clark L. Coleman) writes:
|> In article <32580012@hpcuhe.cup.hp.com> linley@hpcuhe.cup.hp.com (Linley Gwennap) writes:
|> >I'd like to take a moment to respond to comments that the Series 700
|> >has achieved its high performance due primarily to high (66 MHz) clock
|> >frequencies resulting from advanced CMOS processes.  While HP's IC
|> >processes are as good as anyone's, the Series 700 CPU is implemented
|> >in a 1.0 micron, 3-metal-layer CMOS process which is pretty standard
|> >throughout the industry.  It is nearly identical to IBM's 1.0 micron
|> >process used in their 20-30 MHz RS/6000s, and not as dense as the
|> >0.8 micron process used in IBM's 41 MHz Model 550.
|> 
|> Maybe you could clarify this for me. I read that the main CPU was 1.0 micron
|> geometry and the Texas Instruments floating point coprocessor was 0.8 micron
|> from a TI process. It sounds like the floating point unit has a process
|> at least as good as any competitors' processes, and the main CPU and cache
|> chips are about average for this market segment. Is this right?

Please correct me if I'm wrong since I design gate arrays, but are 3-metal-layer
processes *average* ?  I was under the impression that 3-metal-layer's are on the 
cutting edge of technology, tough to design and fab, atleast wrt gate arrays.  
Is this radically different in full-custom design?


|> 
|> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
|> "The use of COBOL cripples the mind; its teaching should, therefore, be 
|> regarded as a criminal offence." E.W.Dijkstra, 18th June 1975.
|> |||  clc5q@virginia.edu (Clark L. Coleman)

dan

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| Daniel I. Westerberg                 email:  danw@tbird9.prime.com (or)     |
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| MS 10-9                                                                     |
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