25 Oct
1999
25 Oct
'99
1:48 a.m.
Wrong, what
counts is that the computer can do the job that it needs to.
That is why you'll still find systems such as the PDP-8 and PDP-11 still in
service. That is also why most people don't need anything more than a
68k-based Macintosh.
This is dead-wrong. You assume that "the job" remains static. But the
fact of the matter is, unless your computer is embedded in your microwave
or toaster, you'll want to run new and interesting s/w on it. And, in
general, that implies that you'll want a faster computer in 18 months. If you're running some accounting application or
airline reservations system,
sure, keep it the same until its lifetime expires. But, does it scale?
Can you load it more?
To many depends there. Often the software does not scale. If it were vax
or as400 the answer is well known, yes.
An Intel i486DX2/66 will run Dhrystone 2.1 2 to 3
times faster than a Vax 6500.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ F A C T ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's still meaningless.
Now, as for Alphas: I want one! ;-)
Buy one, they run just a tad more than your average Xeon/500 with all the
bells... Of course you can get an antique one that is only 330mhz a lot
cheaper.
Allison