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From: eugene@pioneer.arpa (Eugene Miya N.)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: Benchmarking in a High Level Language
Message-ID: <3285@ames.arpa>
Date: Mon, 2-Nov-87 17:37:52 EST
Article-I.D.: ames.3285
Posted: Mon Nov  2 17:37:52 1987
Date-Received: Fri, 6-Nov-87 03:37:09 EST
References: <861@winchester.UUCP> <2993@phri.UUCP> <864@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu> <3802@sol.ARPA>
Sender: usenet@ames.arpa
Reply-To: eugene@pioneer.UUCP (Eugene Miya N.)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
Lines: 33
Keywords: benchmarks
Summary: you wanted a suggestion


Subject: Re: Towards A Meaningful Performance Measure 

In article <3806@sol.ARPA> crowl@cs.rochester.edu (Lawrence Crowl) writes:
>Of course, 780's are becoming scarce.  We may have to pick another machine just
>to keep the base machine readily available.  Suggestions?

Yes, the Cray X-MP.
1) Good resolution clock
	Important like the need for Atomic clocks and conventional time
	keeping.  The Machine as a whole has a performance all computers
	will eventually strive. [Do you believe in Dan Ingall's Cray on
	a wrist? ;-)]
2) The Hardware Performance Monitor
	The requirement for non-intrusive counting is important.
3) The software for intrusive measurement (FLOTRACE) is not too
	bad either.  The current OS's don't page (a plus or minus
	depending where you are coming from).

The problem with the X-MP is that it is a soon to be discontinued line.
It's quite reliable and has architectural features now emerging in
micros.  Another problem is its memory is unlike most other machines
[performance due to interleaving is distinct], but this not a serious
problem.  The Y-MP and the Cray-3 should have this type of hardware
designed into it [not to say it does, users have to push for it].
But, I have not heard.

From the Rock of Ages Home for Retired Hackers:

--eugene miya, NASA Ames Research Center, eugene@ames-aurora.ARPA
  "You trust the `reply' command with all those different mailers out there?"
  "Send mail, avoid follow-ups.  If enough, I'll summarize."
  {hplabs,hao,ihnp4,decwrl,allegra,tektronix}!ames!aurora!eugene