Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!cmcl2!esquire!sbb
From: sbb@esquire.UUCP (Stephen B. Baumgarten)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: 16Mhz  why in the world....
Message-ID: <1096@esquire.UUCP>
Date: 28 Mar 89 20:29:44 GMT
References: <430095@hpcea.CE.HP.COM> <42340b22.a590@mag.engin.umich.edu> <153@cs.columbia.edu>
Reply-To: sbb@esquire.UUCP (Stephen B. Baumgarten)
Distribution: na
Organization: DP&W, New York, NY
Lines: 32

In article <153@cs.columbia.edu> dr@cs.columbia.edu (David Robinowitz) writes:
>From what I understand of caches, one could build a static-RAM cache
>between the MC68030 and the main memory (slow DRAMS) and get rid of
>some wait states/utilize a faster u-processor.

This is exactly what Compaq and other high-end PC clone makers are doing.
Running a 25Mhz 386 Compaq is really a pleasure (or as much of a pleasure
as running a PC can be) compared to a Mac II, even with a fast hard disk.
Of course, this is comparing number-crunching on both machines; things
like PageMaker are still agony even on a 386 Compaq compared to the Mac.

>It seems Apple is not too concerned w/speedup.

This has always been true.  They'll be coming out with a faster 030 box
with built-in Ethernet sometime soon, or so the rumor goes.  Makes sense
from a business point of view -- why give away 25 Mhz technology for
the price of a 16 Mhz box?

And before anyone gripes about what a stupid, short-sighted and selfish
policy that is, give the folks at Compaq a call and ask how they can
dare offer an underpowered 286 machine (or several such machines; the
286 is still very much their bread and butter) when 33 Mhz 386
technology is available.  And how dare they charge so much more for
their 386 models?

Once again, with Macintoshes as with PCs, you get what you pay for.

--
   Steve Baumgarten             | "New York... when civilization falls apart,
   Davis Polk & Wardwell        |  remember, we were way ahead of you."
   cmcl2!esquire!sbb            | 
   esquire!sbb@cmcl2.nyu.edu    |                           - David Letterman