Re: How are CPU Speed and Overall CPW Related?

"Nathan M. Andelin" wrote:

Not to get on a rant about this, but

It would be impossible to compare a multi-processor(AS/400) against
a uni-processor(Intel whatever) as to program speed. Just one small
difference, your laptop is doing NOTHING but running your example, while
the 400 might have 20 or 30 tasks running that you aren't even aware of.

Since the 400 is task interrupt driven, it attempts to service all tasks
that it has been given in a reasonable amount of time. It does not have
just one single task of run these 30 or so instructions and "then" go
check to see how everybody else is doing. Every single job in the system
gets a whack at the processor but that schedule is a fairly complicated
process that requires time.

Your Intel processor only has one function:

Start at step 1 and run till through.


Ask yourself:

Is your laptop running spooling ???

Is your laptop running a very advanced security system ?

Is your laptop running a full relational data base ?

Is your laptop running communication support for various types of
devices ?

Is your laptop supporting multi-users all at once ?

Is your laptop keeping track of hardware & software interrupts and doing
somthing about it when it happens ?

The list of "housekeeping" tasks is a lot longer but you get my point.

To put it in even more perspective, let the 400 run the same job 5 times
all at one time and try that with your laptop(which it can't do).

There is simply no fair way to compare a Lotus to Hugo.....

This isn't the answer you are looking for, but you are hunting a
solution with no correct answer...

 
> It takes 2095 MS to run the RPG code on my AS/400.  But it only takes 365 MS
> to run the Foxpro code on my Laptop.  The Foxpro program offers 5.74 times
> better performance.  But Foxpro is not faster than RPG.  The difference is
> in the computer hardware.
> 
> My Laptop CPU offers a 330 Mhz clockspeed.  My AS/400 offers a 200 Mhz
> clockspeed.  That explains a small part of Foxpro's superior performance.  I
> believe the more meaningful difference is that AS/400 CPU is not fully
> utilized.
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