info-vax@ucbvax.ARPA (06/04/85)
From: Art Berggreen <ART@ACC> Regarding future uVAX busses: I am under non-disclosure so I can't say much, but look for a future uVAX whose primary bus in not a QBUS or UNIBUS or CIbus. <Art@ACC.ARPA> ------
info-vax@ucbvax.ARPA (06/05/85)
From: Richard Garland <OC.GARLAND%CU20B@COLUMBIA.ARPA> In re uVAX busses: There have been rumors for about a year, and several DECUS sessions about a new bus called the BI (not CI, BI as in SBI without the S). Supposedly 32 bits data and address, fast, etc with provision for multiprocessors designed in. Not facts as of now, just rumors. I think there is a paper in the session notes of last fall's DECUS which gives a general outline (DEC advanced development group or some such). If I can dig it up I'll quote the reference. I seem to recall the speaker saying this would be the backplane for smallish machines (uVIXen?) and would be on an adapter on larger machines (8600's?). It will be the ultimate replacement for the Unibus (will the Unibus ever really die?). Rg -------
info-vax@ucbvax.ARPA (06/05/85)
From: Russ <Roberts.Wbst@Xerox.ARPA> Fuel for the fire... Any comments ???? ---------------------------------------------------------- copyright InformationWEEK Issue 016, May 27, 1985 page 10 MicroVAX III to Run Full Instruction Set "There is a story behind the reports that a MicroVAX III will be announced by Digital Equipment Corp. before the end of the year. Because some users are complaining that the instruction set on the MicroVAX II is not a full 32-bit implementation of the VAX family's 32-bit instruction set, there is apprehension that the recently announceed machine won't run all the VAX software. One solution: the MicroVAX III, which is planned to run the full instruction set of the VAX family and will boast twice the performance of the II. Some Digital Equipment insiders say the III will weigh in with the Massbus high-speed bus attachment. Others are saying the Massbus will be available before the MicroVAX III, possibly as soon as this summer." ----------------------------------------------------------- ~~ Russ
info-vax@ucbvax.ARPA (06/05/85)
From: Ron Natalie <ron@BRL.ARPA> Equipment insiders say the III will weigh in with the Massbus high-speed bus attachment. Others are saying the Massbus will be available before the MicroVAX III, possibly as soon as this summer." Gack, Massbus, bletch. Sounds like it's planning on being prohibitively expensive for a small computer. Maybe their just calling it that. The massbus cable is bigger than the whole computer. What we would really like to see on the MicroVAX is FLOATING POINT! They can leave most of the rest of the unimplemented instructions behind. -Ron
info-vax@ucbvax.ARPA (06/05/85)
From: Richard Garland <OC.GARLAND@CU20B.ARPA> It's my impression that the word "Massbus" in the articles cited is in error. I think the writer was perhaps not conversant with DEC's bus names and that he merely meant "some new high speed bus". Rumors are that this will indeed be the BI mentioned in other messages. Rg -------
info-vax@ucbvax.ARPA (06/06/85)
From: "Brand Hal"@LLL-MFE.ARPA
Sorry, but I just have to throw in the rumors going around here:
1) The uVAX II is single chip with optional FPA chip implementing uVAX
architecture (not full VAX) using the Q-Bus for I/O and the C/D (seedy)
interconnect for a private memory interconnect (bus sorta).
2) The uVAX III is the same chip(s), just on the BI. Rumor is that silicon
already exists and functions for the BI interface chip.
3) The uVAX IV will be a new chip set implementing the full VAX architecture
(includeing compatability mode - uuuugh), also utilizing the BI for
I/O atleast, and who knows about memory. Supposedly, this chip set will
outperform the uVAX II chip(s).
Remember, all this is rumors (except maybe 1 which can now be confirmed by
examining real hardware!!!info-vax@ucbvax.ARPA (06/06/85)
From: ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!hou2d!afb3@BERKELEY RE: Floating point.. I've had a chance to run some quickies on the uVAX-II. It supports F, D, and G floating. For F and D it really is a dead heat with the 780!!! (And the 780 doesn't bother with "G" floating...). I was suitably impressed. (The prog. is a "dot" product benchmark which simulates a 2008 X 2008 matrix multiply). Al Baldwin AT&T-Bell Labs ...!ihnp4!hou2d!afb3 [These opinions are my own....Who else would want them!!!]
info-vax@ucbvax.ARPA (06/07/85)
From: avie@cmu-cs-wb1.ARPA
info-vax@ucbvax.ARPA (06/08/85)
From: ecsvax!kopf%mcnc.csnet@csnet-relay.ARPA
info-vax@ucbvax.ARPA (06/24/85)
From: hadron!jsdy@seismo (Joseph S. D. Yao) In article <7774@ucbvax.ARPA> you write: >From: Art Berggreen <ART@ACC> > >I am under non-disclosure so I can't say much, but look for a >future uVAX whose primary bus in not a QBUS or UNIBUS or CIbus. BOO! Why am I going to have to invest in hardware for yet another bus which will remain proprietary to yet another single vendor for a while to come? I objected to the Q-Bus for this reason when it came out (although, by now, there are enough technically good reasons for it to stay, and enough second sources). I will be annoyed at this one, unless it significantly pushes forward the state of the art. Or, perhaps they will use some "industry standard"? Sorry about the flame ... it's like sneezing; you have to do it every once in a while. ;-) Joe Yao hadron!jsdy@seismo.{ARPA,UUCP}