🚀 go-pugleaf

Jim Williams (williams@tiac.net) wrote:
: Matt Slot <fprefect@umich.edu> wrote:
: >
: >I am a strict Mac-user (save when I need to interact with PC-users), but its
: >not because of any strict superiority in one direction or another. I find the
: >Mac a straightforward, honest, and downright powerful computer -- it does the
: >work I want it to do.

: So what?  The Intel arch sucks.  The Motorola arch is a bit better, but it still
: sucks.  In fact, as far as I'm concerned all the hardware sucks.  All they're doing
: is chasing MIPS without adding any new real value.  Why don't we have any hardware
: which incorporates just a few well known algorithms from the last 20 years????

	There was such hardware.  They were (still are, but who knows how
	long) known as transputers.

	A transputer is an interesting critter: it does multithreading in
	hardware, with two priorities.  High priority is not preempted, 
	whereas low is and low priority threads are scheduled in round
	robin fashion. (I need to clarify: low priority threads are
	preempted in respect to high priority and other low priority
	threads; high priority threads are not preempted at all.)

	They did many other interesting things that made them very 
	interesting building blocks for embedded systems.  

	It saddens my heart to see how obsoleted they are now.

	/Alby

: When it comes to OS -- you're comparing spoiled oranges with rotten apples.

: -- 
: Sphere.

: Find a Linux Group for you: http://www.tiac.net/users/williams/lugnuts/

: Buy Linux brand UNIX!