Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!ucsd!ames!elroy!gryphon!panchax!richard
From: richard@panchax.gryphon.COM (Richard J. Sexton)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.tech
Subject: New stuff
Keywords: 680x0's and computers in general
Message-ID: <2017.AA2017@panchax>
Date: 24 Mar 89 18:25:19 GMT
Reply-To: richard@panchax.gryphon.COM (Richard J. Sexton)
Followup-To: comp.sys.amiga.tech
Organization: Palos Verdes Killifish Ranch
Lines: 53


A couple of things I've noticed that could have a dramatic
impact on computers i ngeneral and 680x0 based systems in
specific.

1) DAT decks.

	How many of you have hard disks on your Amiga ?

	Hmm, a fair number. Ok, put your hands down now.

	Now, how many of you have tape drives as well, as
	a back up device ?

	Not that many, eh ?


	I recently read an article in a magazine that made the
	point that DAT decks are on the verge of replacing
	CD's and vinyl for consumer audio. They also made
	the point that volume of scale is going to 
	make these things pretty cheap in a couple of
	years, and that a home/audio deck could also
	be shared as a harddisk backup device.


2) Math chips

	From _EDN February 16, 1989, page 21_  Weitek has announced
	the Abacus 3168 numeric coprocessor. When teamed with a
	25 Mhz '030 it gives 6M Whetstones and 1.5M Flops Linpack
	(Double Precision). It seems to be a multiply/divide square
	root unit, only, so you would still need a 68881 for
	transcendental functions. Also it's unclear whether it's
	a 64 or 80 bit device so if any precision would be lost
	is uncertain. 

	Two things ARE clear though: 1) it's FAST, and 2) we'd
	better start making noises to support this thing compiler
	/library wise so it's ready when the chip is available.
	It's supposed to sell for $500 (in lots of 2500) for
	a 25 Mhz 121 pin package sometime around April.
	Wait a minute THIS April ?  Wowsers... too late.

	Does anuybodyhave any idead how fast this thing is compared
	to 68881/2 ?




--
                The bonds of truth are not made to measure
decwrl!gryphon!panchax!richard                    richard@panchax.gryphon.COM