Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!seismo!mcnc!gatech!bloom-beacon!think!ames!pioneer!lamaster From: lamaster@pioneer.arpa (Hugh LaMaster) Newsgroups: comp.arch Subject: Re: Size of SysV "block" (really: byte != 8 bits) Message-ID: <2378@ames.arpa> Date: Fri, 17-Jul-87 16:27:59 EDT Article-I.D.: ames.2378 Posted: Fri Jul 17 16:27:59 1987 Date-Received: Sat, 18-Jul-87 16:48:04 EDT References: <218@astra.necisa.oz> <142700010@tiger.UUCP> <2792@phri.UUCP> <207@vianet.UUCP> <2737@ulysses.homer.nj.att.com> Sender: usenet@ames.arpa Reply-To: lamaster@ames.UUCP (Hugh LaMaster) Followup-To: comp.arch Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. Lines: 28 In article <2737@ulysses.homer.nj.att.com> dgk@ulysses.homer.nj.att.com (David Korn[eww]) writes: >I believe that in the mid-seventies the CDC-STAR used the term >sword (super-word) to refer to a 512-bit quantum. > >At the time I remember that a 1024 bit word was going to be called a pen CDC still uses the sword (super word) on the CDC Cyber 205 machines. The ETA-10, with a very similar architecture, also uses 8 word swords. The ability to fetch and store 512 bits at a time from memory is one of the reasons that these machines can achieve VERY high speeds on CONTIGUOUS vectors. If the vectors are not contiguous, then the advantage disappears. Hugh LaMaster, m/s 233-9, UUCP {seismo,topaz,lll-crg,ucbvax}! NASA Ames Research Center ames!pioneer!lamaster Moffett Field, CA 94035 ARPA lamaster@ames-pioneer.arpa Phone: (415)694-6117 ARPA lamaster@pioneer.arc.nasa.gov "IBM will have it soon" (Disclaimer: "All opinions solely the author's responsibility")