MacOS 8.5

[Scott Gravenhorst]

Michael H Wilson <wils0450 at itlabs.umn.edu> wrote:
>On Mon, 26 Oct 1998 P4DQt at aol.com wrote:
>Hmm.. smells like lies and propaganda. Site me the articles.
>> In a message dated 10/26/98 1:06:29 PM Pacific Standard Time,
>> SMcDonald at doe.mass.edu writes:
>> 
>> << 3. Compared to a Pentium II, for most operations the G3 processors are
>>  twice as fast. So, if you buy a 233MHz, double it to 466MHz. That'd make
>>  it comparable to Pentium II. >>
>> 
>> 
>> Why is this speed difference?, are the two not runing at the same clock speed?
>> What makes the MAC hardware faster then the PC hardware?

=+= DISCLAIMER: FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY =+=
=+=       NOT INTENDED FOR INTERAL USE          =+=
=+=        CHEESE IS MADE WITH FUNGUS           =+=
The internal design architectures are very very different.  Intel uses a
system called "control store" in which the processor uses an internal
risc-like intruction set called microinstructions.  Data recirculates through
the data paths controlled by the control store (an internal ROM) and is 
modified by successively the ALU.  Essentially, for any given ix86 
intruction, several to many microinstructions are executed; a little
microprogram for each ix86 intruction.  This means that many instruction 
cycles must be clocked before the ix86 instruction actually completes.  
Contrast this with Motorola's "random logic" method (not sure why 
they call it that) which is essentially a large gating system through which 
the data flows and generates a result.  This method requires fewer 
recirculations of the data.  This is why Intel has done so much on improving
the clock rate technology.

Neither method is absolutely superior to the other.  Much of the problem
with the Intel world has to do with backward compatibility to early ix86
chips.  Systems level programmers have been fettered by the 16 bit index
register ever since.  However, this curse has also been a blessing for the 
consumer in that you can still use that old DOS software even on the most 
advanced Pentium system.

Mac vs PC ??  Dogs vs cats.  Use what makes you happy.

-- Scott Gravenhorst
-- FatMan Site: http://www.teklab.com/~chordman
-- RedWebMail by RéÐ ¤ Š†år ¤ Wãrê
-- Linux Rex, Linux Vobiscum