× The internal search function is temporarily non-functional. The current search engine is no longer viable and we are researching alternatives.
As a stop gap measure, we are using Google's custom search engine service.
If you know of an easy to use, open source, search engine ... please contact support@midrange.com.


  • Subject: Re: Have you read this?
  • From: "Tracey MacKenzie" <spanner@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2000 08:08:13 +1300

>
> You are missing the point:
> 1) The CPU has one of the most powerful FPUs around
> 2) The use of this FPU can be disabled in software by setting
> a bit in the MSR (Machine State Register).
> 3) This 'disable' bit is set (at least on the low-end models)
>
> So, the customer is paying for hardware that he has,
> but cannot use it. An interesting issue is to what
> models this apply. Only low-end, or all, or what?
>
> BTW, the FPU can be enabled again in software...
>

Leif,

I recognise that the customer gets a piece of hardware with certain
characteristics, but based on the model he pays for, he pays for a certain
performance. Given the cost to develop and build the plant to manufacture
these chips, it is more cost effective to apply a one size fits all aproach
to production and then charge as though different models were manufactured
when selling the product.

IBM has to amortize the cost of develping these chips across all sales, so
it's kind of not exactly correct (IMO) to speak as though the cost of the
processor remains the same across all models. I would figure that there
might be some kind of under the covers financial equailisation so that the
nominal cost of a processor internally to IBM is different across machine
models. This is reflected in the pricing and what the customer gets.

Look at the absence of floating point on the low end from the perspective of
the customer who buys a car without the factory fitted radio. Not a great
analogy, but do you get my drift ?

Cheers
Evan Harris

+---
| This is the Midrange System Mailing List!
| To submit a new message, send your mail to MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com.
| To subscribe to this list send email to MIDRANGE-L-SUB@midrange.com.
| To unsubscribe from this list send email to MIDRANGE-L-UNSUB@midrange.com.
| Questions should be directed to the list owner/operator: david@midrange.com
+---

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

This thread ...

Replies:

Follow On AppleNews
Return to Archive home page | Return to MIDRANGE.COM home page

This mailing list archive is Copyright 1997-2024 by midrange.com and David Gibbs as a compilation work. Use of the archive is restricted to research of a business or technical nature. Any other uses are prohibited. Full details are available on our policy page. If you have questions about this, please contact [javascript protected email address].

Operating expenses for this site are earned using the Amazon Associate program and Google Adsense.