Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!ingr!proctor
From: proctor@ingr.UUCP (John Proctor)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: For a good time, read...
Message-ID: <2006@ingr.UUCP>
Date: 7 Apr 88 17:04:15 GMT
References: <7841@apple.Apple.Com>
Organization: Intergraph Corp. Huntsville, Al
Lines: 33
Summary: EE Times Article

The previously quoted EE Times article is interesting from several points of
view:

	1) No comparison is made regarding file systems, that is whether
	   it is the standard AT&T, Berkley FFS or some other. This has a
	   very real bearing on the performance issue.

	2) No indication is given on architectural issues such as who is doing
	   the I/O operation. For example in the SUN case either the 68020 or
	   the SPARC chip handles all the I/O. In the Intergraph case an
	   80186 or 80386 does the I/O depending on the model.

	3) As for raw speed, there were figures in the report which indicate
	   the Intergraph machine up to 111 percent faster in 'computationally
	   intensive' applications. So much for picking individual numbers!

All in all, the article had very little to do with performance issues as it
failed to pinpoint architectural features and their performance impact both
positive or negative! It was also guilty of very selective quoting thus 
placing doubt over the validity of the whole article.

Let the flames begin!


John D. Proctor		|  Usenet: {ihnp4,uunet}!ingr!jdp!proctor
Intergraph Corp.	| ARPAnet: uu.net.uunet@ingr!jdp!proctor
			| US Post: 1 Madison Industrial Park
Usual Disclaimers Apply	|	   Huntsville, AL 35807-4201

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little 
statesmen and philosophers and divines.

		"Self Reliance" by Ralph Waldo Emerson