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From: rick@ucla-cs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.graphics
Subject: Re: Request for device advice
Message-ID: <3967@ucla-cs.ARPA>
Date: Sat, 16-Feb-85 20:00:30 EST
Article-I.D.: ucla-cs.3967
Posted: Sat Feb 16 20:00:30 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 21-Feb-85 03:46:29 EST
References: <21248@arizona.UUCP> <3966@ucla-cs.ARPA>
Reply-To: rick@ucla-cs.UUCP (Richard Gillespie)
Distribution: net
Organization: UCLA Computer Science Department
Lines: 22
Summary: 

In article <3966@ucla-cs.ARPA> lmiller@ucla-cs (Dr. Lawrence Miller) writes:
>
>We have SGI IRIS systems, a 1000 terminal and a 1400 workstation.
>These are super machines, with enormous capability.  Furthermore SGI is
>a company that has under development some astounding machines: hardware
>shading, z-buffer, depth cueing, etc.  For applications work, for research
>and teaching, you can't do better.


Yes, the IRIS machines are great, but only if used appropriately.  The 
reason that they are good is that they have pipe-lined Geometry Engines
to handle three dimensional transformations.  If all you want is a frame
buffer, and not fancy 3d hardware, then the IRIS may be over-kill.  They
seem comparitively slow when used as just frame buffers but I heard a
rumor that this problem will be fixed in the newest machines.
-- 

			       Rick Gillespie
				  rick@ucla-cs
				  ...!{cepu|ihnp4|sdcrdcf|ucbvax}!ucla-cs!rick

	"She turned me into a newt! . . . I got better."