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From: henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer)
Newsgroups: net.micro
Subject: Re: Query: Symmetric's 375 computer
Message-ID: <7103@utzoo.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 9-Sep-86 19:20:51 EDT
Article-I.D.: utzoo.7103
Posted: Tue Sep  9 19:20:51 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 9-Sep-86 19:20:51 EDT
References: <173@grpthry.UUCP>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
Lines: 13

> ...performs at the level of a microPDP11/73.  Seems a little
> poor for a 32016-based machine.

The J11 chip inside the 73 is fast for a pdp11.  The 32016 is pretty slow;
don't be misled by that "32" in the name.  Bear in mind that the 32016 code
is probably pretending it's a 32-bit machine, even though all bus operations
have to happen 16 bits at a time, while the pdp11 code will probably be
doing its best to use 16 bits wherever possible.  Also, my impression was
that the Symmetric machine specialized in being (a) small and (b) on the
market early, not in being as fast as possible.
-- 
				Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
				{allegra,ihnp4,decvax,pyramid}!utzoo!henry