Re: ZIP 8Mhz Apple IIc vs 66MHz IBM Clone: Computer Race

[musjndx@gsusgi2.gsu.edu (Jonathan N. Deitch)]

sebugg@presby.edu (Stephen Buggie) writes:


>                       SOFTWARE SUGGESTIONS NEEDED:
>      SPEED RACE BETWEEN  8 MHZ APPLE IIC AND  66 MHZ  486DZ ZEOS
>      ===========================================================


>A colleague at my college has used his new faculty grant to buy an enormous
>IBM clone for his office: 17" color monitor, laser printer, and this CPU:

>                ZEOS 486 DXZ  66 MHz,  8 meg RAM, with
>                 Diamond Speed 5+ duo graphics card

>I bragged to him that my office IIc now has an 8 MHz ZIP CHIP and that its
>screens change almost instantly.  I read on this bbs too, that Apples achieve
>more data processing in a single cycle than do IBMs, so the "processing
>speed" of the Apple II is underestimated.  I hinted to him that the "perceived
>speed" of our computers may be equal.  Needless to say, he is skepical of
>my claim.  He is convinced that his computer will fly circles around even
>the biggest Macs.

Well ... this is true mostly.  Apples use a 6502 processor which, when 
comparted to a 486 or Pentium is practically a RISC chip.  Most 6502
instructions take 3 or less cycles to complete.  But the disadvantage is
you can't do much with a simple little 8bit processor.  Anything math
intensive (ie: lots of cycles) the 486 will clean up big.

Anything involving small (<64k) memory moves and the apple will probably
win due to a lesser amount of time needed to make the move (smaller # of
cycles even with a slower clock speed).  Note that the 486 may have a ram
cache which will render this 6502 advantage nil.

Also note that the 486 has a much bigger address space than a 6502 and is
used to working with larger data sets.

>I suggested that a "computer race" be arranged with my ZIP IIc vs his 66 MHz
>486.  What SOFTWARE could be used that would be equivalent for the two
>computers?  The software should have theser characteristics:  take a moderate
>amount of time to complete (20-60 sec),  not rely on excessive memory (I have
>only 128K in the IIc  vs. 8 megs in his), and not require a hard disk (He
>has a big one while the IIc has none.

A simple memory move benchmark should work okay.

>I have plenty of 8 bit Apple software; not sure what he has.  But suggestions
>from readers will be appreciated.    (Note:  If my IIc will be absolutely
>whipped in any competition with the 486, advise me now so I could call off
>the "tortoise and hare" computer race!   B-)

I think the 486 will still win ... there's almost a 9x speed advantage in
a 66mhz 486 vs a 8 mhz 6502.  Remember that any i/o the Apple does will
have to be done in 1mhz mode as the Apple's slots run at that speed.  The
486 doesn't have this problem.

- Jonathan

> **=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=**
> ** Stephen Buggie, 410 Chestnut St., Clinton SC 29325    Apple IIe/IIc **
> ** sebugg@presby.edu                 voice: (803) 833-8337 or 833-1632 **
> **=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=**
>.
-- 

 Internet: musjndx@gsusgi2.gsu.edu     Fidonet : Jonathan Deitch@1:133/411.7 
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--------------------------------------------------| trust my own technology!"
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