mash@mips.COM (John Mashey) (11/03/90)
(OK, I'm sure some people have been waiting out there for fireworks, or maybe massive nuclear counterstrikes, on this one... It took me a while to dig out the ENEWS.) There is plenty of room in the world for competition and legitimate difference of opinion, as well as confusion caused by the previously- posted problems in accuracy in the trade press. Reasoned, polite argument, even with people you think are wrong, at least improves the level of discourse, and occasionally leads to enlightenment and proper levels of skepticism. Attempting to slime another company anonymously does not. I suggest that anybody interested read the entire original article, and see if you reach the same conclusions I do, or not. I think ANON-DG may have been slightly selective (to be polite) in quotation and interpretation. A few relevant words and sentences got lost somehow. :-) Concisely, I think the article said: They're doing a new architecture that is capable of getting to real 64-bit, executing existing VAX code, and being more efficient. [It is unlikely that ANY existing RISC is likely to be able to do ALL of this very well; we used to convert MIPS code to VAX code; we never tried the inverse :-)] Of course, it is perfectly rational that one of the largest computer companies in the world preserve their customers' software investments. Recall that they still sell a LOT of PDP-11s, and I suspect the most current Ultrix and VAX/VMS still runs on VAX-11/780s. DEC has world-class VLSI CMOS designers and they can do good stuff. The portion of the article quoted by ANON-DG says, exactly: `Dominic LaCava, vice-president of Unix-based software and systems, said DEC also has definite plans for marketing additional MIPS-based machine running its Ultrix derivative of Unix "for the next two to three years, which is the most any vendor can expect to see out" in the future. Mr. LaCava added that DEC "expects to have a continued long-term commitment to MIPS beyond that" period. However, Mr. Demmer [V.P. of VAX/VMS systems] left open the possibility of the firm eventually ending the relationship. "MIPS is not a big company and may not be able to move as fast as we can."' Now, I think that's perfectly clear. The guy who owns Ultrix says he's got definite plans for as far as he can see, and expects a long relationship. The guy who owns VAX/VMS fails to swear eternal loyalty to the MIPS architecture.... neither surprises nor bothers me at all. Now, read ANON-DG's quoting and interpretation of this: In article <1098@dg.dg.com> uunet!root (dg-rtp.dg.com!smith, maybe) writes: >The October 29th issue of Electronic News had some interesting >articles: > > o On page 1 there is a story about DEC backing a new RISC > processor for VAX/VMS. DEC plans to move its VAX/VMS > base to a new DEC designed RISC chip sometime in 1992. Actually, the date is wrong. read the article carefully. > This brought up the question, "What happens to MIPS?". > Dominic LaCava, vice President of Unix-based software and > Systems said, "DEC has plans for marketing additional > MIPS-based machines for the next two to three years, > which is the most any vendor can expect to see out into > the future." William Demmer, vice president of VAX/VMS The "definite" got lost, as well as the longer-term commitment. > systems and servers left open the possibility that DEC > might end the relationship with MIPS, saying "MIPS is > not a big company and may not be able to move as fast > as we can." The "eventually" got lost, too. Why aren't I surprised? :-) > o On page 13 there is an article saying that Stardent is > dropping MIPS in favor of the Intel i860 RISC. THIS article is at least correctly quoted. It is public that Stardent is using i860s for graphics or vector units, instead of proprietary hardware, and the article may have gotten this usage confused with use as main CPU. I have no idea if they are dropping the MIPS chips out also, and of course, if I did, it would be improper to say. >So we find that MIPS has lost one design-in and may not be able to >keep DEC. Will 1990 be remembered as MIPS's golden moment? Was this >year be the brief instant when everything looked good for MIPS? Good try, ANON-DG .... fortunately, the level of intelligence on the net is higher than that. Well, back to some useful work. -- -john mashey DISCLAIMER: <generic disclaimer, I speak for me only, etc> UUCP: mash@mips.com OR {ames,decwrl,prls,pyramid}!mips!mash DDD: 408-524-7015, 524-8253 or (main number) 408-720-1700 USPS: MIPS Computer Systems, 930 E. Arques, Sunnyvale, CA 94086