Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!killer!ames!oliveb!sun!chiba!khb From: khb%chiba@Sun.COM (Keith Bierman - Sun Tactical Engineering) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac Subject: Re: Mainframe on a chip in a Mac? Message-ID: <75091@sun.uucp> Date: 28 Oct 88 04:53:47 GMT References: <571@tank.uchicago.edu> Sender: news@sun.uucp Lines: 33 In-reply-to: gsbrob1@apcvxa.uchicago.edu's message of 28 Oct 88 00:09:07 GMT In article <571@tank.uchicago.edu> gsbrob1@apcvxa.uchicago.edu writes: I'm interested in whether a similar sort of thing could be done on the Mac in the future. I had someone here tell me "it can't be done", cause of: the OS, the architecture, whatever. I'm not a hardware person, so I have absolutely no idea. I'd like to know whether on a _theoretical_ level it can be done; I'm not asking what Apple is actually doing in this area, 'cause I know that those who know can't tell. :->. (Please: no flames from NeXT fans about why Apple is "doomed"; I've heard enough of that, and would prefer at this point to agree to disagree.) There is nothing in the NeXT machine which isn't in all mainframes AND minicomputers and certain high performance workstations....except its been reduced to a chip (which is great, if you design it years after everyone elses, and then the performance tradeoffs, etc.). Apple can/will put in all such goodies. No (real) problem. Given that Apple likes to make *strange* decisions (putting the ROM space in the middle of the address space was an example) and that much of the really neat stuff in the MacOS is very CPU dependent (save every byte, twist 'em until they squeak :>) it will be complicated (or it will coincide with a new OS/ROM combination). But it is WELL within Apple's grasp. ............................................................................ . generic disclaimer: all opinions here expressed are mine and mine alone . ............................................................................ Keith H. Bierman It's Not My Fault ---- I Voted for Bill & Opus