[SC.LUG] Bill Gates to be Knighted?

[Ian Molton]

On Tue, 27 Jan 2004 22:03:06 +0000
"Rick [Kitty5]" <rick at kitty5.com> wrote:

> On Tue, 2004-01-27 at 18:42, Ian Molton wrote:
> > It also offers PCI-X (althought the ionix only presents 64bit 66MHz
> > PCI).
> 
> So aside from raid and dsp's (but you wouldn't buy an xscale based box
> for either of those) what good is it?

Scuse me? raid worsk just fine on it (under linux) and the XScale
catually makes a half decent DSP (WAY lower interrupt latency than X86).

> > Only because linux software is optimal on machines with hardware FP.
> 
> You going to have to help me out here, what is the point of buying
> one? 

For one thing, it turely is *silent* as well as being fairly fast. It
doesnt use an outmoded crippled instruction set either. It apeals to
those who like something well designed, not some cheap crap that just
goes fast at the expense of all else.
 
> Its certainly not for the cheap-retro beige box it comes wrapped in,
> or the hardware performance.

The RISC OS desktop on an XScale *blows away* *anything* I've seen on
*any* other platform (including linux) for speed, AND useability.

> The awesome range of RiscOS software perhaps?\

Aside from games - what is missing?

> > Ok, so clock for clock the XScale core is slower than X86 but then
> > the machine requires NO active *or* passive cooling (ie. not even
> > heatsinks). It also uses less than 10 Watts of power *including* the
> > harddisc - show me an x86 capable of that.
> 
> Clock for clock an xscale doesn't even appear on the same map.

??

Clock for clock, it can beat X86 is some cases. depends what you;re
doing.

> 10 whole watts, amazing, who would have expected it from a CPU
> designed for low power mobile devices.

The IOP321 wasnt designed for PDAs. get your facts straight.

> Oh wait, thats before you plug
> in a vid(and I bet it goes through the roof once you get the nvidia
> card going some, oh but without a fpu its not going anywhere, forget I
> mentioned it)

so dont use an NV one. duh. that said the nvidia card used is also
silent.

> As for the lack of active/passive cooling - Another design side effect
> fobbed off as a feature, Woohoo!

It *is* a feature.

> I bet the single DDR slot also has unexpected benefits!

Yeah - it doesnt con you into thinking you can use two stick with the
IOP321. why would you expect two slots from a system that can only have
one?



-- 
Spyros lair: http://www.mnementh.co.uk/   ||||   Maintainer: arm26 linux

Do not meddle in the affairs of Dragons, for you are tasty and good with
ketchup.