Steven M. Schultz wrote:
> > factor of 60 :-)  Even a 386DX/16 would likely fair well against a
> > MicroVAX II with the dhrystone benchmark. But I've a feeling that floating
> 
>         the 386DX blows the uVax-II out of the water.

Well, maybe in a benchmark.  However, while actually using them it seems
that my MicroVAX II and 386DX20 are pretty close.  I admit that the 386
is faster, but it doesn't blow away the uVAX-II.  I think that the uVAX
actually beats the 386DX in some disk operations... the RA90 seems to
have good data transfer rates although the seek performance isn't too
impressive.  (The 386 uses MFM)

> > point ops would be a strong point for the MicroVAX II, and my gut also
> > tells me that it will handle heavy process loads better.
> 
>         Ummm, not really.  Both are hobbled by 'crippled' bus structures - the
>         uVax-II by the multiplexed Qbus and the 386 by the ISA bus (which
>         BTW is faster than the Qbus ;)).

Well, the uVax-II *is* good at handling heavy process loads.  It really
slows down "gracefully".  My experence with PCs under heavy load is that
you get long lag times.  One thing that is certainly helping the
MicroVAX II is that it has intelligent peripherals so I/O intensive
operations don't force the CPU to wait and do PIO.  Of course nowdays
you *can* get pretty good PC peripherals.

>         The "PC" (386) would be able to use more current SCSI devices (but the
>         thought of a Cheetah drive hooked up to a 386 wobbles the mind ;-))
>         whereas the uVax-II could not for the most part.

You know, there are Q-bus SCSI controllers.  (Yes, I can prove it...
I've got one.  :-) I don't think that there is anything beyond SCSI-1,
but it is my understanding that with the proper cabling adapter even a
fast-wide drive would work in slow and narrow mode.  So, yes, you may be
able to use a Cheetah with a MicroVAX II.

Unfortunately, I've heard that the SCSI performance on a uVAX-II is very
disappointing.

-- 
|  Boris Gjenero <bgjenero@undergrad.math.uwaterloo.ca>              |
|  Home page:  http://www.undergrad.math.uwaterloo.ca/~bgjenero/     |
|  "Luke, you're going to find that many of the truths we cling to   |
|  depend greatly on our own point of view." - Obi-Wan Kenobi, ROTJ  |