loki@physics.mcgill.ca (Loki Jorgenson Rm421) (12/03/90)
An enthusiast writes: > Date: 1 Dec 90 22:45:56 GMT > From: Dan Severance <cs.yale.edu!doctor.chem.yale.edu@cs.yale.edu> > Organization: Laboratory for Computational Chemistry, Yale University > Subject: I would like to see a low-end desktop model!! > In short, it would be great if SGI came out with a sparcstation-like >product, color, 8bp 2D graphics, but with the crunch-power of their 4D-25 >or 4D-35 machines. (our code runs on a 4D-25 2-2.5 times as fast than a >SparcStation 1 and it likes larger cache a lot which the 4D-35 will have). > If SGI had a machine like that, we wouldn't buy servers, we'd buy it >instead so we'd have a workstation environment consistent with the 3D >machines, but it would be plenty for editing, 2D graphics, etc... ... and I whole heartedly agree. We own several 4D/25's based primarily on their strong graphics capabilities. We have an older SUN3 group as our base workstation machines. We use the speed/power of the 4D's extensively since they outstrip the SUNs easily. However, in considering upgrading our system, we have two plans in mind: 1) Work farm: a single "server machine" with a monitor for user interactive graphics and a big disk for data with a group of truly "server" nodes (no monitors) to which users "farm out" their number- crunching jobs. SGI or IBM is favoured for this job. 2) Workstation group: like our current SUN3's, a group of high-powered workstations with a minimal windowing capability for users to work on and do their program development and prehaps 2D plotting. SUN Sparc 1/2 are favoured. My point is, quite simply, that we are very happy with the IRIX environment and don't see any need to expand to using the Sparcs and SUN OS4.1 (we still use v3.5 on the SUN3's) EXCEPT.... the 4D/25s are far too expensive with their super-whizzy graphics to be simple workstations. Even the most basic 8-bit graphics is over-kill. Consequently, we will have to split our time/money in an effort to meet our needs. If SGI came out with very simple monitor and graphics which would support the windowing system, we could avoid the complication of integrating a new architecture into our group. The "work farm" concept is extremely viable using SGI machines because of the affordability of a unit without the graphics head. How about an answer to the "workstation group" question, SGI? Another enthusiast, __ __ Loki Jorgenson / / \ \ node: loki@physics.mcgill.ca Grad, Systems Manager / ////// \\\\\\ \ BITNET: PY29@MCGILLA Physics, McGill University \ \\\\\\ ////// / fax: (514) 398-3733 Montreal Quebec CANADA \_\ /_/ phone: (514) 398-6531
msc@ramoth.esd.sgi.com (Mark Callow) (12/06/90)
In article <9012021642.AA01265@gollum.Physics.McGill.CA>, loki@physics.mcgill.ca (Loki Jorgenson Rm421) writes: |> An enthusiast writes: |> > Date: 1 Dec 90 22:45:56 GMT |> > From: Dan Severance <cs.yale.edu!doctor.chem.yale.edu@cs.yale.edu> |> > Organization: Laboratory for Computational Chemistry, Yale University |> > Subject: I would like to see a low-end desktop model!! |> |> The "work farm" concept is extremely viable using SGI machines |> because of the affordability of a unit without the graphics head. How |> about an answer to the "workstation group" question, SGI? |> This kind of feedback is great. But it is incredibly hard to respond to suggestions and questions like this without people thinking you are dropping hints about product plans. So we tend to just stay silent. Please don't be put off by the silence. We like this type of feedback. -- From the TARDIS of Mark Callow msc@ramoth.sgi.com, ...{ames,decwrl}!sgi!msc "Spirits of genius are always opposed by mediocre minds" - Albert Einstein
shenkin@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu (Peter S. Shenkin) (12/06/90)
In article <1990Dec5.222923.21596@odin.corp.sgi.com > msc@sgi.com writes: >In article <9012021642.AA01265@gollum.Physics.McGill.CA>, loki@physics.mcgill.ca (Loki Jorgenson Rm421) writes: >|> An enthusiast writes: >|> > Subject: I would like to see a low-end desktop model!! >This kind of feedback is great. But it is incredibly hard to respond to >suggestions and questions like this without people thinking you are dropping >hints about product plans. So we tend to just stay silent. Please don't >be put off by the silence. We like this type of feedback. > >-- >From the TARDIS of Mark Callow What silence? Thanks for the hint, Mark. :-) From the INTEROCITER of Peter Shenkin ************************f*u*cn*rd*ths*u*cn*gt*a*gd*jb************************** Peter S. Shenkin, Department of Chemistry, Barnard College, New York, NY 10027 (212)854-1418 shenkin@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu(Internet) shenkin@cunixf(Bitnet) ***"In scenic New York... where the third world is only a subway ride away."***