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Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watnot!watmath!clyde!cbatt!ihnp4!chinet!alpha!ram
From: ram@alpha.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: new Gould NPL
Message-ID: <3810020@alpha.EECS.NWU.Edu>
Date: Wed, 1-Apr-87 00:25:25 EST
Article-I.D.: alpha.3810020
Posted: Wed Apr  1 00:25:25 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 4-Apr-87 09:48:28 EST
References: <501@sw1e.UUCP>
Organization: Northwestern U, Evanston IL, USA
Lines: 62

>same bus, coupled with a math accelerator unit, it does 12
>MIPS sustained at a base price of about $400,000. With a
>multiple, coupled bus option, 8 cpu's can co-exist for close
>to 100 MIPS, addressing 2 gigabytes of 54 nanosec memory.

   2cpu+math = 12 MIPS
   8cpu+  "  =100 MIPS ?
     
   100/12 = 8.5
   8/2    = 4.0

   I need a math accelerator and a good one too :=).

>Unix is THE operating system, complete with Bell, Berkeley,
>and the real-time extensions that Gould has pioneered in the
>real-time world.  A full complement of network connectivity,

    The wisest thing Gould (ever) did.  Early in their mini manufacturing
    line they opted for THE operating system UNIX.  To tell the truth,
    porting software into UTX (Gould's name- I wonder why everybody likes
    to change the name UNIX but always stick an X) is a lot easier
    than even on VAX(4.3) at times.  Watch out for their secure versions too.  
    Choosing UNIX early on the game has its advantages.  The problem of OS
    for a new machine is porting rather than development.  That saves a lot
    of time in the development cycle of an OS for your machine.
    To quote somebody from Gould (Latest UNIX/WORLD),  

	Q. Why did Gould choose UNIX when IBM has neglected it?
   Retort. UNIX is bigger than IBM. 

>development vs. HP's similar full-scale jump into RISC
>architecture (Gould's new line is not RISC); not to forget
>the parallel process architectures coming on soon.

    True.  But don't rule out RISC.  It is becoming an industry standard.
    (only the name not the technology).
    Soon, the RISC name should be forgotten if every processor is a RISC
    processor.

>           So what's new !

    Year of new architectures!  Watch out for Cydrome, Multiflow (VLIW),
    Vitesse,  Chopp(sullivan), ETA, RP3 ........  Architecture design
    is becoming an art.  Maybe we should have arch-art exhibits.
    (One is coming up in Santa Clara during the first week of May).

    Oh! What's new column:  AI has infiltrated compiler technology.
    C86 C compiler (for PCs) (Ref: UNIX/WORLD) has optimizations based on
    AI techniques.  Guess the consequences.  The compiler learns. 
    The more times you compile the better is your optimization resulting
    in a single line of code. 

>   Tom Helton			Support Group
>   ..{ihnp4}!	| | |\ | | \/   Southwestern Bell Telephone Co.	
>  sw1e!uusgth	|_| | \| | /\   One Bell Ctr 24W5, StL, MO 63101	
>----------

   1987- Year of the start-ups  1988 Year of up-starts


					    Renu Raman
					    ...ihnp4!nucsrl!ram