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Path: utzoo!henry
From: henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer)
Newsgroups: net.micro.68k
Subject: Re: 68020 Performance
Message-ID: <4316@utzoo.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 14-Sep-84 17:23:44 EDT
Article-I.D.: utzoo.4316
Posted: Fri Sep 14 17:23:44 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 14-Sep-84 17:23:44 EDT
References: <3537@decwrl.UUCP>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
Lines: 33

Joe, I agree with most of what you say -- clock rates are not a realistic
measure until you look at memory access times, and i/o bandwidth is quite
important when evaluating multi-user machines -- but I've got a couple of
comments.

> MORAL: If you want to compare the 68020 (or any microprocessor) to
>        a VAX, wait for the figures on the forthcoming VAX chip sets ...

The question is, will we ever see those VAX chip sets?  As chip sets, not
as overpriced packaged cpus.  Existence is no guarantee of commercial
availability, and conference papers are a poor substitute for chips in hand.

>        ...  At the system level, the 
>        microVAX line of small systems is designed and packaged more for 
>        one-on-one personal use.  ...

So is the VAX 730, in my opinion.  We've had to forcibly dissuade some
local groups who've been mesmerized by Dec marketing into thinking that
a 730 could run a dozen users doing statistics, just because of that
magic word "VAX".  My lousy little 11/44 will run rings around a 730
on anything which doesn't have serious address-space problems.  And
the 44 is a quarter the size and half the price.  When address space is
not an issue, the 44 will give a 750 a good run for its money, and the
size and price comparisons *there* don't bear mentioning.

For that matter, I note that the Murray Hill research folks now (I'm told)
budget for a 750 for every 4 users.

When is Dec going to announce some reasonably-priced big-address-space
processors?  I'd sure like one.
-- 
				Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
				{allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!henry