sherm@elxsi.UUCP (04/05/87)
In article <255@winchester.mips.UUCP> mash@winchester.UUCP (John Mashey) writes: >What are Whetstone MIPS? .... > a) Are they DP MEgaWhetstones? (or SP?) > b) Are they X times a VAX 11/780, if so, > b1) VAX/VMS > b2) 4.3BSD? Sorry for not being more specific. The numbers I mentioned were single precision megaWhetstones. ELXSI's double precision numbers aren't much different since all registers are 64 bits. But I don't have exact figures. I'll see if I can find more numbers and if so I'll post them. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael Sherman ...!{sun|styx}!elxsi!sherm
eugene@pioneer.UUCP (04/06/87)
In article <332@elxsi.UUCP> sherm@elxsi.UUCP (Michael Sherman) writes: >In article <255@winchester.mips.UUCP> mash@winchester.UUCP (John Mashey) writes: >>What are Whetstone MIPS? .... >> a) Are they DP MEgaWhetstones? (or SP?) >> b) Are they X times a VAX 11/780, if so, >> b1) VAX/VMS >> b2) 4.3BSD? > >Sorry for not being more specific. The numbers I mentioned were single >precision megaWhetstones. ELXSI's double precision numbers aren't much >different since all registers are 64 bits. >Michael Sherman This brings up some things I have been thinking about regarding fair comparisons. How would you compare apples and oranges? (retorically, send mail, not follow ups, I am summarizing on this one). How would you compare say a 32 bit to a 64 bit to a 36 bit architecture? It's real easy to say, "If an application only needs 32-bit precision (or what ever architectural property, not just floating point), then 64-bit (or whatever) is just icing on the cake." Is it more fair to do as dongarra and just say "everything in 64-bit" which is the numerical analysts solution (no one does serious floating point in 32-bit, you only get 3-4 base-10 digits): so a "standard" minimum is one way. Another way seems to be normalization (I won't get into this, it's the gold-plated VAX syndrome, and this is dumb [be glad these people don't work for the NBS]). What other means of making things fair can you see? From the Rock of Ages Home for Retired Hackers: --eugene miya NASA Ames Research Center eugene@ames-aurora.ARPA "You trust the `reply' command with all those different mailers out there?" "Send mail, avoid follow-ups. If enough, I'll summarize." {hplabs,hao,ihnp4,decwrl,allegra,tektronix,menlo70}!ames!aurora!eugene