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From: karn@petrus.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.micro.att
Subject: Re: AT&T Micro Anouncement
Message-ID: <372@petrus.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 7-Jun-85 19:14:29 EDT
Article-I.D.: petrus.372
Posted: Fri Jun  7 19:14:29 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 12-Jun-85 02:12:25 EDT
References: <453@rtech.UUCP> <624@houxu.UUCP> <368@petrus.UUCP> <1087@ihuxn.UUCP>
Organization: Bell Communications Research, Inc
Lines: 26

> The WE32100 Microprocessor line is a line of full 32-bit
> (32-bit addressing and 32-bit data paths and registers) machines with 
> a full complement of support chips.  Do not confuse these chips with
> "32 bit" chips that need extra registers to address more than 64K !!!

I really don't care much if a chip is "32-bit" or not. Touting the number of
"bits" on a microprocessor is a bit reminiscent of the practice of
advertising the number of tubes in old-time radios.  If it doesn't improve
the price/performance ratio of the product, it becomes a red herring.  Anyway,
I always look first at non-performance related issues like:

1. A large, flat address space
2. Support for virtual memory
3. Availability of reasonable system software and program development tools
(e.g., 4.2BSD)
4. Second sources on the chips and support tools

The 68K either equals or surpasses the BigMac32 (oops, WE32000) on each of
these points.

Only THEN do I look at how fast the thing runs C benchmarks (something that
can be affected by the word size). Unless your $400 32-bit WE32000 can run C
at least 26.67 times as fast as my $15 68K (which I seriously doubt), you
get more bang for your buck with the 68K.

Phil