Paul, What was the timeframe for the MPP?
Lee On Fri, Feb 18, 2022 at 6:47 AM Paul Koning via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > > > > On Feb 18, 2022, at 7:08 AM, Joerg Hoppe via cctalk < > cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > > > > Hi, > > > > my computer club c-c-g.de could acquire the remains of a VAX9000 ! > > The machine ran at the GWDG computing center in Göttingen, Germany, > around 1993. > > Parts of it were in stock of their museum for 20+ years. > > > > See lots of hires-pictures at > > > > https://c-c-g.de/fachartikel/359-vax-9000-ein-starker-exot > > > > (scroll to the bottom for a slide show). > > > > Joerg > > Excellent photos! > > I didn't realize the 9000 had a vector processor. > > One reason the design was so expensive is that it was originally planned > as a water-cooled machine -- code name "Aquarius". At some point that idea > was dropped and switched to air cooling -- code name "Aridus". I guess > those skinny pipes with red and blue markers carry jets of cooling air, but > were originally going to carry water. > > The 9000 also had its own I/O bus, XMI, different from BI. I don't know > how its performance compares, whether it was worth the effort. > > Speaking of vector processors: there's a very obscure DEC processor, the > DEC MPP. I remember seeing the processor architecture document when it was > being designed, not sure why. It's a very-RISC machine, just a few > instructions, but lots of cores especially for that time -- 256? More? > Recently I saw it mentioned in some documents, apparently it did get > produced and shipped, perhaps only in small numbers. I wonder if any have > been preserved. As far as I know there is no family connection between > that machine and anything else DEC did before or since. > > paul > > > -- Lee Courtney +1-650-704-3934 cell
