[rescue] point of pride in SGI R10k vs. 1Ghz x86...

[Francisco Javier Mesa-Martinez]

On Mon, 12 Nov 2001, Big Endian wrote:

> >keep in mind that the R10K isn't doing all the work.  that's what the gfx H/W
> >is for.  that's what makes them SGI machines. :)
> 
> Actually (josh can beat me up if I'm wrong)  the stuff in 
> photoshop/gimp/etc don't take advantage of SGI gfx hardware.  I can 
> see where they might possibly use it but they don't.  R10ks have HUGE 
> balls, certainly more than enough to kick the ass of any athlon that 
> comes to play.

Unless they are using GL calls, most of the gfx manipulations in both the
GIMP and photoshop are handled by the CPU (in SGIs case at least). What I
think is making the difference here is whether or not they are actually
using the MIPSPro compiler or the GNU for Irix. SGI's compilers are
excellent, and the code is significantly more optimized that gnu's even
the x86 gcc for linux. 

The R10K also has an excellent FPU, and the overall system can keep the
CPU better fed that most FeeCees. What most people fail to realize is that
there is no point in having a 2Ghz machine when the rest of the system is
sill running at <200Mhz. This is why a FeeCee running at 1Ghz still crawls
when running windblows.

At any rate the R10K is one of my favourite CPUs, it is elegant and is
able to hold its own agains modern designs, which I think is a testament
to the engineering skills of MIPs designers. I saw some prototypes for the
new R16/180000 and they were smoking, so there is still some life left in
SGI afterall.

cheers!