Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!mcvax!enea!diab!pf
From: pf@diab.UUCP (Per Fogelstrom)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: Why is SPARC so slow?
Message-ID: <344@ma.diab.UUCP>
Date: 11 Dec 87 13:59:12 GMT
References: <1078@quacky.UUCP> <8809@sgi.SGI.COM> <6964@apple.UUCP>
Reply-To: pf@ma.UUCP (Per Fogelstrom)
Organization: Diab Data AB, Taby, Sweden
Lines: 16
Summary: Yet another "super processor".

Well, the history repeats once again. A new RISC chip is launched and peopels
expectations reaches new "high scores". A few years ago there was another risc
chip set brougth to the market, called the Clipper. This processors performence
was climed to sweep all competitors off the sceene. Often compared to the
DEC 8x00 computers. For this chip set the picture has cleared now. The perfor-
mence range is not much more than can be achived with a 16-20 Mhz 68020. The
most i have seen of the 33Mhz versions is one running at room temprature.
Intergraph is one of the companys who is still using the Clipper (They recently
bought the rights for the chip set from NS/Fairchild) . From what i recall they
throw out the NS32032 for the Clipper. Well they could have had 2-3 times the
clipper performance with the NS32532 today. And they called the buy a bargin !
It's not suprising that the MIPS 2000 gives most power/Mhz, The architecture has
evolved during many years, without a hard pressure from the marketing such as
'We must have it NOW!!!'. (John Mashey mayby has another opinion, only my guess)

SO: Why is everybody so suprised ????!