EXS 24 Logic Sampler Users Group

Paul Nicholls wrote:

>First of all if we are going to discuss the future of wimpy Mac CPUs and the
>possibilities of big strong Intel CPUs to come, I am surprised that there is
>not more talk here about the upcoming Motorola G5 chip, a 64 bit processor
>coming in at 1.8 ghz. or so, with amazing power and 4 Altivec 'DSP' engines
>on board, and spiffy multi-processing capabilities. We would have it now if
>not for some problems Apple is dealing with with heat control, a typical
>problem given all that is going on inside. Most Mac people are certain it
>will be here within 6 months. I am looking to upgrade to this sort of
>machine rather than get a G4. In two years we will be up around 5 ghz. We
>all know this anyway given the history of computers.

Perhaps -- perhaps not. The move to .13 micron fabrication process is being
handled a lot better by some foundries than others. The move to 90nm --
who knows how well that will go at Motorola? Five Ghz chips will probably
be on 90 or even 65nm process. 

Whether processors cut the mustard depends on how well they keep the engine
stoked with data and instructions. Spending cycles waiting for something to
work with leaves a fast processor engine spinning its wheels. 

If you have been following the PowerPC for a while you will remember the
much vaunted 620 processor that was up there on all the roadmaps. It was to
follow the 601 and the 604. Well what happened to the marvellous all
conquering PPC 620? It was a fizzer. The architecture did not actually
deliver the expected performance and it was junked after a fortune was
spent on it. Like Copland.

Motorola just kept ramping up the clockspeed on the 604 and the market had
to wait for the G3. The G4 wasn't meant to be stalled at 500 MHz for 18
months either. From the reports I have read it was stuck there because it's
pipeline was short and therfore benchmarks did not scale with increasing
clockspeed. Bad design -- back to the drawing board. Transmeta have been
incredibly late delivering their 130nm 1Ghz 5800  chip that was promised
for ages ago. Shit happens.

So what should all this tell you? --- don't believe the hype.  

Believe in reliable 3rd party benchmaring of real products -- not empty
boasts about vapour. 

The rest of your post is exactly the sort of Kool-Aid inspired crap that
has just been banned from the LUG. 

It has nothing to do with the EXS24. 

Why don't we give it a rest?

Regards,
M