🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <2393@nsc.UUCP> chuqui@nsc.UUCP (The Phantom) writes:
>In article <730@amdcad.UUCP> phil@amdcad.UUCP (Phil Ngai) writes:
>>But 24 bits of address is not a huge thing, which is what the 32032 has.
>>24 bits is only 16 Mb or 4 4 Mb memory cards.
>
>Only 4 4Mb cards? Sigh-- Just think of the vast numbers of Vaxes running 16
>megabytes right now. Just thihk of the size of the 4 Mb cards in your 16Mb
>Vax. ...

Now wait a second here.  This is not a realistic comparison.  These cards use
64k DRAMs and you're right it does take up quite a bit of board space.  Being
from NSC, you should realize that there are such things as 256k DRAMs, even if
none of the US semi houses are in full scale production.  Okay, so it still
takes a lot of them to make up 4 Meg, but with current packaging technology
board space can be minimized to at most the size of a 1 Meg 256k DRAM card,
which uses DIP packaging.  Take for example the memory cards used in the 
ATT 3b series of micros, which use PLCC 256k DRAMs mounted on a substrate
( SIPs to be more specific ). 

>...  32bit addressing makes a nice marketing tool, granted, 
>but there really isn't much that a 32bit address gives you that 
>a 24bit address doesn't also give you in a manufactured product 
>EXCEPT a marketing tool. 

Sounds like "sour grapes" to me.  I have to agree with Phil,  24 bits of address
space just isn't enough given current semiconductor technology and system 
architecture.  New micro designs will be taking advantage of 256k DRAMs,
single/multi chip state of the art CPUs,... and you can bet many of them will
be allowing for a 16 Mbyte main memory.  Someone is sure to design a 16 Mbyte
desktop VAX equivalent and where does that leave the 32032?  By the time
NSC gets a 32032 out with a 32 bit address space, someone elses CPU chip
will be designed in, already prototyped and tested, and possibly they'll be 
shipping product by the time your chip hits full production.  
 
                        \   /
      Alan Yamauchi       *
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