Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!think.com!spool.mu.edu!cs.umn.edu!uc!noc.MR.NET!gacvx2.gac.edu!gacvx2.gac.edu!scott From: scott@mcs-server.gac.edu (Scott Hess) Newsgroups: comp.sys.next Subject: Re: Parallel Make Message-ID: Date: 9 Jun 91 19:33:13 GMT References: <1991Jun9.152606.12802@cs.cmu.edu> Distribution: comp Organization: Gustavus Adolphus College Lines: 42 Nntp-Posting-Host: mcs-server.gac.edu In-reply-to: ddj@zardoz.club.cc.cmu.edu's message of 9 Jun 91 15:26:06 GMTLines: 42 In article <1991Jun9.152606.12802@cs.cmu.edu> ddj@zardoz.club.cc.cmu.edu (Doug DeJulio) writes: In article melling@cs.psu.edu (Michael D Mellinger) writes: > >Does anyone have a parallel make program running on the NeXT? I have >a lab full of NeXT's that I want to put to use :-). By my >calculations, the 040 NeXT runs a little more than 1/2 as fast as our >$10,000,000 IBM 3090 when compiling programs(compared standard C >programs). So, if I get two or three machines running together, I >should be in good shape. Yes and no. I compiled gnu-make, which has support for parallel compiles. When I use "gmake -j3" (do three jobs at the same time) combined with "cc -pipe" on my 20 meg NeXTstation, I get an average of a 20% speedup in compiles. More than likely, not much more will be reasonable, without an investment in a faster NFS server and the like. I've found that the biggest limiting factor in compiles isn't generally the CPU speed, but the memory and disk capabilities. The compiling itself doesn't actually seem to take that long . . . this might be a limitation of the GNU compiler, as GNU tends to be sort of liberal with memory usage (and in a low-memory system, memory==disk, so that makes it worse). Anyhow, getting down to the main point, I've done makes on different projects on different machines, but since all the makes are yelling at the same server for their fodder, it didn't seem to be substantially faster than single makes on the same machine . . . That was a NeXT serving, though, maybe a DEC or Sun machine with optimized NFS stuff could do better . . . Later, -- scott hess scott@gac.edu Independent NeXT Developer Graduated GAC Undergrad! Note: I have moved home for a time. My email address will still be valid. Any SnailMail should be redirected, along with phone calls. At the least, my parents can tell you how to get hold of me, or forward any mail . . . Old: PO 829, GAC, St. Peter, MN 56082 (507) 933-8466 New: RR#4 Box 227 Pipestone, MN 56164 (507) 825-2788