z80 timing... 6502 timing - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

19 Apr 1999

I don't know why this has to be so complicated.  There need to be
constraints in order to ensure a level playing field, but since there are
two related objectives, (1) to  find out which of the two processors in the
title of this message is "faster" and (2) to generate the fastest code for
them for comparison.

If people want to perform the exercise on other than these two processors,
that's fine.  It might show that the quality of the code makes more
difference than the relative speed of the processor, which shouldn't
surprise anyone.  It wouldn't hurt, at least.  It won't show what the
fastest, leanest, most efficient, or any other comparative of the various
ways of coding the problem would be for those two processors unless there's
1:1 mapping for the instructions, however.

Having more attempts submitted will undoubtedly teach someone something and
that's good.  What it will also do, is show everybody more innovative
approaches to solving the problem.

Dick
-----Original Message-----
From: Fred Cisin (XenoSoft) &lt;cisin(a)xenosoft.com&gt;
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
&lt;classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu&gt;
Date: Sunday, April 18, 1999 5:20 PM
Subject: Re: z80 timing... 6502 timing

...
 > > >Sure!  Let's have a driving contest
to see who can drive the fastest, but
...
 > > >first we all have to build our own cars. 
THAT MAKES AN AMAZING AMOUNT OF
...
    SENSE! 
Shsssh! We're building a race track first.  No, that's too simple.  First we
have to go terraform Mars so that we can
 build the race track there.  We don't want to give anyone an unfair
 advantage by letting them race their cars in a familiar atmosphere. 
I'm having a little bit of difficulty with not being able to use modern
tools and materials for the metallurgy for building my engine.  :-)
Will I have to build it on Mars, also?

If you really want to see a drivers only contest, watch IROC racing (was
just on ESPN this afternoon) - a dozen identical cars, and in 40 laps, the
pack spread out to a few car lengths.  The winner was a Pontiac.  So was
the loser, and every other car in the race. I think that it is more fun to
watch an event where the vehicles differ.

We really need two sections of the whole competition - one section with
fixed platforms, and one section permitting custom hardware.