Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!lll-winken!lll-lcc!lll-tis!ames!nrl-cmf!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ut-sally!utah-cs!utah-gr!uplherc!esunix!sedwards
From: sedwards@esunix.UUCP (Scott Edwards)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: Yield of core-MIPS chips [MIPSCo yield? && Other Issues]
Message-ID: <751@esunix.UUCP>
Date: 16 Mar 88 15:31:21 GMT
References: <2904@omepd>
Organization: Evans & Sutherland, Salt Lake City, Utah
Lines: 39

From article <2904@omepd>, by news@omepd (News Account):
> --------
> From: mcg@iwarpo3.intel.com (Steve McGeady)
> Path: iwarpo3!mcg
> 
> 	This newsgroup (comp.arch) tends to focus on a very narrow band
> 	of issues concerning the success (intellectually and commercially)
> 	of architectures and their implementations.  The predominant
> 	issues discussed here are performance, "capability", and
> 	architectural elegance.  All too seldom do we discuss issues
> 	that, ultimately are more important to the success of an
> 	architecture:
>
[ alot of valid points deleted ]
> 
> S. McGeady
> Intel Corp.
> 

IMHO this newsgroup (comp.arch) tends to focus on a very narrow band of
RISCy business.  I agree with Steve, there is more to computer architecture
than raw cpu mips (vips, vups, ticks, clicks, clocks, whatever:-).  I think
RISC's are great for specific applications where the instruction set is
optimized for that specific application and someone is willing to pay the
extra $$$$$ for more, fast memory and optimizing compilers.  What about
architectures designed for software reliability like SWARD and iapx432
(Yes, I know it was slow, but perhaps that was just the implimentation).
Is anyone still working in this direction?  Or that dataflow stuff (didn't
NEC have some sort of graphics processor) is it dead and buried?  Or is
*EVERYBODY* (except me) convinced that RISC is the wave of the future?
Less is more, yesterday's technology today! ;-)


-- Scott

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*  My opinions are not shared by my  *  On the first part of the journey,   *
*  employer or anyone else with half *  I was looking at all the life...    *
*  a brain (or even a whole one).    *		                 - America  *
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