On Jul 4,  8:26am, rlancaster@VNET.IBM.COM wrote:
> Subject: FPU
> Sorry about last nights ranting session, it`s just serious depression
> is setting in due to the difference in FP performance between the
> PowerPC based RS6000 machines here at work and the ARM at home.
> After all these RS6000 are essentially the same spec as a Power Mac.

Hmm, the RS6000 (Rios2?) is similar spec to the PowerPC 620 chip. Do any Power
Macs actually use this chip (as opposed to 601-604) and with how much cache?
(if they do, are they cheaper than #5k?)

> So does anyone know whether ARM are even considering an inbuilt FPU
> on the SA?  (I notice that they jumped pritty sharpish when they
> realised the 7000 needed one for the net surfer....)  Or are we going
> to have to live on a B road for the rest of eternity?

Well, they're obviously aware of the problem and I'm sure they are capable of
making FPUs if it is economic to do so. This depends very much on whether the
ARM-based NC takes off.

Cheers

Rob

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