>
>>My recommendations:
>>	Forget P5. Forget MMX. Go P6.  NetBSD is exclusively 32-bit
>[...]
>
>In general, I would agree with this.  My Pentium Pro (clocked to
>233MHz) absolutely smokes anything else I've used, PC-based.
>
>As you mention later, the AMD K6 is also a real screamer.  I've heard
>good things about the new Cyrix M2, as well, but haven't seen
>benchmarks.  The thing some people in the FreeBSD groups are finding
>out with the K6 is that you must have a motherboard with a very well
>made voltage regulator, or you can get some sporadic behavior.  The K6
>draws some serious amperage, and some cheaper motherboards simply
>can't keep it fed.  If you buy a K6, make sure your motherboard is
>approved for it, and if not, consider getting a board that is.

   Actually, the problems I've had with the K6 are not related to the
voltage regulator. The part is on an "approved" motherboard and began to
show flakiness after about 2 weeks of operation. It appears to have
developed a sensitivity to heat; high quality heat sinks (including
Peltier Effect) help, but don't get rid of the problem entirely.
Other people have reported similar problems. This might be a problem
only with early chips - I've not heard of problems with the newest of
the parts.

-DG

David Greenman
Core-team/Principal Architect, The FreeBSD Project