IBM Power5 and Apple - must be a mistake

WB_DC · 11-19-2002, 01:38 PM

<a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-485578,00.html" target="_blank">http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-485578,00.html</a>

[quote]ASCI Purple will be built using 12,544 IBM Power5 microprocessors, the same chips that are used in Apple PCs and Nintendo games systems.<hr></blockquote>

:confused: <img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" />

[ 11-19-2002: Message edited by: WB_DC ]

Moogs · 11-19-2002, 01:40 PM

Ya think? It's called bad reporting.

Bodhi · 11-19-2002, 01:47 PM

It's a broad statement. Referring to the G3 that is used in Apple computers.

T'hain Esh Kelch · 11-19-2002, 02:09 PM

This means that this baby will be as fast as 12.000 iBooks?

KidRed · 11-19-2002, 02:14 PM

12,000+ chips!? How big this thing gonna be!? And they used the plural form, so that means IBM will make many of these 12,000+ chips machines? holy hell.

Krassy · 11-19-2002, 02:44 PM

[quote]Originally posted by Bodhi:
It's a broad statement. Referring to the G3 that is used in Apple computers.<hr></blockquote>
i think it's a wrong statement. or just a hint to the PPC architecture. in fact apple is NOT using the Power-architecture and the G3 isn't even fully multi-processor cabable. the processor for that machine could be a real Power5 and each cpu will be more than 200% faster than every G3 on earth...

Programmer · 11-19-2002, 07:57 PM

I think the author of the article is under the impression that PowerPC=POWER and that all of these processors are created equal. These IBM machines do look like they are going to be real brutes though, that's for sure.

Analogue bubblebath · 11-19-2002, 08:44 PM

ASCI purple is going to be built in 2004, so you can be sure it's going to use the fastest IBM processors available at the time, in this case, the POWER5.

boy_analog · 11-19-2002, 10:36 PM

[quote]Originally posted by T'hain Esh Kelch:
This means that this baby will be as fast as 12.000 iBooks?

<hr></blockquote>

Precisely. I hear they're just going to make an Appleseed cluster out of all the iBooks in Maine....

There'll be a lot of unhappy schoolkids, but hey, it's not like they vote or anything.

Franck · 11-20-2002, 09:45 AM

[quote]Originally posted by Programmer:
I think the author of the article is under the impression that PowerPC=POWER and that all of these processors are created equal. These IBM machines do look like they are going to be real brutes though, that's for sure.<hr></blockquote>

AFAIK, PowerPC=POWER when we talk albout instruction set. (POWER3 and later use PowerPC ISA)

Programmer · 11-20-2002, 10:36 AM

[quote]Originally posted by Franck:
AFAIK, PowerPC=POWER when we talk albout instruction set. (POWER3 and later use PowerPC ISA)<hr></blockquote>

They are very similar but POWER is a slight superset of PowerPC. I don't know if IBM's code uses the difference anymore, however, because they have a whole series of POWER3 machines which using the 604e processor. You'd think they'd at least bite the bullet and use Moto's 7455 in order to stay competitive, but this is IBM after all.

And just because they use the same instruction set hardly means that you can say that this IBM monster machine will be using the same processors that go into the Nintendo and Apple machines.

Powerdoc · 11-20-2002, 12:20 PM

The reporter means that they will use the same family of processor : the PPC chips. It's like saying that the Opteron belong to the X86 family.
It's a huge approximation for people who does not know a clue about chips.

[ 11-20-2002: Message edited by: Powerdoc ]

11-19-2002, 01:38 PM	#1
WB_DC Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 2	IBM Power5 and Apple - must be a mistake <a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-485578,00.html" target="_blank">http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-485578,00.html</a> [quote]ASCI Purple will be built using 12,544 IBM Power5 microprocessors, the same chips that are used in Apple PCs and Nintendo games systems.<hr></blockquote> :confused: <img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" /> [ 11-19-2002: Message edited by: WB_DC ]</p>

11-19-2002, 01:40 PM	#2
Moogs Macsimus Maximus Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: The Home Office Posts: 4,287	Ya think? It's called bad reporting. Aldo is watching....

11-19-2002, 01:47 PM	#3
Bodhi Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 1,423	It's a broad statement. Referring to the G3 that is used in Apple computers. I'm making plastics right now!

11-19-2002, 02:09 PM	#4
T'hain Esh Kelch Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Denmark Posts: 1,235	This means that this baby will be as fast as 12.000 iBooks? "There's no bigot like a religious bigot and there's no religion more fanatical than that espoused by Macintosh zealots." ~Martin Veitch, IT Week [31-01-2003]

11-19-2002, 02:14 PM	#5
KidRed Registered User Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Florida Posts: 2,388	12,000+ chips!? How big this thing gonna be!? And they used the plural form, so that means IBM will make many of these 12,000+ chips machines? holy hell. All Your PCs Are Belong To Trash

11-19-2002, 02:44 PM	#6
Krassy Registered User Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 561	[quote]Originally posted by Bodhi: <strong>It's a broad statement. Referring to the G3 that is used in Apple computers.</strong><hr></blockquote> i think it's a wrong statement. or just a hint to the PPC architecture. in fact apple is NOT using the Power-architecture and the G3 isn't even fully multi-processor cabable. the processor for that machine could be a real Power5 and each cpu will be more than 200% faster than every G3 on earth... go AAPL, go to $70 !!! © 2004

11-19-2002, 07:57 PM	#7
Programmer Registered User Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: The International Center for Rumour Control Posts: 3,133	I think the author of the article is under the impression that PowerPC=POWER and that all of these processors are created equal. These IBM machines do look like they are going to be real brutes though, that's for sure. Providing grist for the rumour mill.

11-19-2002, 08:44 PM	#8
Analogue bubblebath Registered User Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 128	ASCI purple is going to be built in 2004, so you can be sure it's going to use the fastest IBM processors available at the time, in this case, the POWER5.

11-19-2002, 10:36 PM	#9
boy_analog Registered User Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Sydney Posts: 311	[quote]Originally posted by T'hain Esh Kelch: <strong>This means that this baby will be as fast as 12.000 iBooks? </strong><hr></blockquote> Precisely. I hear they're just going to make an Appleseed cluster out of all the iBooks in Maine.... There'll be a lot of unhappy schoolkids, but hey, it's not like they vote or anything.

11-20-2002, 09:45 AM	#10
Franck Registered User Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: France/Germany Posts: 117	[quote]Originally posted by Programmer: <strong>I think the author of the article is under the impression that PowerPC=POWER and that all of these processors are created equal. These IBM machines do look like they are going to be real brutes though, that's for sure.</strong><hr></blockquote> AFAIK, PowerPC=POWER when we talk albout instruction set. (POWER3 and later use PowerPC ISA)

11-20-2002, 10:36 AM	#11
Programmer Registered User Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: The International Center for Rumour Control Posts: 3,133	[quote]Originally posted by Franck: <strong>AFAIK, PowerPC=POWER when we talk albout instruction set. (POWER3 and later use PowerPC ISA)</strong><hr></blockquote> They are very similar but POWER is a slight superset of PowerPC. I don't know if IBM's code uses the difference anymore, however, because they have a whole series of POWER3 machines which using the 604e processor. You'd think they'd at least bite the bullet and use Moto's 7455 in order to stay competitive, but this is IBM after all. And just because they use the same instruction set hardly means that you can say that this IBM monster machine will be using the same processors that go into the Nintendo and Apple machines. Providing grist for the rumour mill.

11-20-2002, 12:20 PM	#12
Powerdoc Administrator Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Cat's dreamlands Posts: 8,043	The reporter means that they will use the same family of processor : the PPC chips. It's like saying that the Opteron belong to the X86 family. It's a huge approximation for people who does not know a clue about chips. [ 11-20-2002: Message edited by: Powerdoc ]</p>

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode