Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site Glacier.ARPA Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!genrad!decvax!decwrl!Glacier!reid From: reid@Glacier.ARPA Newsgroups: net.micro,net.rumor Subject: Re: vaporware Message-ID: <1614@Glacier.ARPA> Date: Wed, 28-Nov-84 21:29:32 EST Article-I.D.: Glacier.1614 Posted: Wed Nov 28 21:29:32 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 30-Nov-84 05:59:49 EST References: <20300008@okstate.UUCP> <10400170@uiucdcs.UUCP> <4567@utzoo.UUCP>, <200@desint.UUCP> <4613@utzoo.UUCP> <671@sjuvax.UUCP> Organization: Stanford University, Fast Turnaround Laboratory Lines: 33 Xref: genrad net.micro:9361 net.rumor:588 > I have heard that some folks got preliminary specs on the 68020 and > shipped them out to a commercial equivalent of the Stanford Fast Turnaround > Lab. What they got back was a perfect 68020 emulator based on a risc chip > -- right down to the cycle timings, and apparently the thing ran better > than the real chip. Apparently these folks marketed what they claimed was > a 68020 board with the ersatz edition until the real one came along. The > catch was that the ersatz edition came out able to run at 24 Mhz.... > > Well, it looked like a 68020, it felt like a 68020, it tested like a > 68020, it tasted like a 68020... must have been a 68020? > > Jon Shapiro I am the resident computer scientist in the Stanford Fast Turnaround Laboratory, and I can assure you that (a) There is no commercial equivalent of the SUFTAL. Our brand of chaos is unique. (b) Nowhere on planet earth is there a 68020 emulator based on a risc chip that runs anywhere close to exact cycle timings. I would be completely amazed if there was a 68020 emulator based on a risc chip that ran at any speed at all--it's such a dumb idea. (c) Anybody who has the technology to take the "preliminary specs" for a commercial chip and ship them out for fab and get a working part back before the commercial chip is available is not going to waste that technology on 68020's. If I had such a technology I would probably try to trade it for a few million shares of Motorola stock, or perhaps for the privilege of filling my pickup truck with Krugerrands. I recommend strongly that you locate a new rumormonger. Your current rumormonger is feeding you jokes and convincing you that they are rumors. Brian Reid Reid@Glacier.ARPA decwrl!glacier!reid