Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!rutgers!sri-unix!hplabs!nsc!nsta!instable!amos From: amos@instable.UUCP (Amos Shapir) Newsgroups: comp.arch Subject: Architecture upgrade Message-ID: <653@instable.UUCP> Date: Sun, 21-Dec-86 03:44:34 EST Article-I.D.: instable.653 Posted: Sun Dec 21 03:44:34 1986 Date-Received: Sun, 21-Dec-86 09:35:32 EST References: <112@bnr-vpa.UUCP> <9200002@rmi.UUCP> <193@drilex.UUCP> <7426@utzoo.UUCP> Reply-To: amos%nsta@nsc Organization: National Semiconductor (Israel) Ltd. Lines: 21 In article <7426@utzoo.UUCP> henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer) writes: [under the original Subject Re: what's a word] >The only reason it's called a longword is because of all the semi-subliminal >it's-really-just-a-big-pdp11-so-don't-worry-about-incompatibility marketing >horseshit that surrounded the vax in its early days. Remember when a 780's >official designation was a "VAX-11/780"? Actually, DEC had made a brilliant (may be unintentional) upgrade, changing architecture while keeping the customers, doing it both radically and gradually at the same time. There are very few cases (that I know of) in which an architecture upgrade had managed to keep all the good parts and leave out all the bad parts - the hardest part is convincing the users that it won't hurt; providing 'compatibility mode' is an excellent cushion, and, unlike other vendors' upgrades, you dont need to know about it if you dont use it. -- Amos Shapir National Semiconductor (Israel) 6 Maskit st. P.O.B. 3007, Herzlia 46104, Israel (011-972) 52-522261 amos%nsta@nsc 34.48'E 32.10'N