Mac OS X on a POWER 5
First of all will Mac OS X run on a Power 5?
If no would it be difficult to make that work?
If yes why not build extream mac workstations with power 5's and extream Xserves with a power 5. Similar to what AMD is dong with it's FX line and Intel with the extream edition.
Think about how much faster the VA tech cluster would hace been if they were using power 5's.
If no would it be difficult to make that work?
If yes why not build extream mac workstations with power 5's and extream Xserves with a power 5. Similar to what AMD is dong with it's FX line and Intel with the extream edition.
Think about how much faster the VA tech cluster would hace been if they were using power 5's.
Comments
And no, Power5 systems will not run Mac OS X. Only Macs run Mac OS X.
Originally posted by ibookgeek
First of all will Mac OS X run on a Power 5?
If no would it be difficult to make that work?
If yes why not build extream mac workstations with power 5's and extream Xserves with a power 5. Similar to what AMD is dong with it's FX line and Intel with the extream edition.
Doable, but would be very expensive. Athlon 64FXs are basically the same as regular A64s except that they have more cache (in fact that and the number of HT links and the socket are all that differentiate A64s, FXs, and Opterons). The Power4/5 not only are multi-cored, but have a ton of high-availability and other features intended for high-end systems, and would require significant infrastructure to build a system around. That was the whole point of the PPC970, to cut out those extra features to make the cost feasible. IBM doesn't even offer a Power5 based workstation, and their cheapest Power4+ workstation costs $5,500 for a stripped down 1GHz system and $10k for usable system (Intellistation POWER 275).
As I am an idiot, I do not know if the development work is related to optimizing proposed processor and operating system features or analyzing the potential benefit of processor or system enhancements.
I assume that Apple might find it useful to have a cost / benefit analysis of potential CPU features before they commit OSX to a CPU specification or place an order for a new CPU.
But I could be wrong.
Originally posted by ibookgeek
here is another rumor on it btw
But thats a rumour from May 2003!
Now I guess they should have banned me rather than just shut off posting priviledges, because kickaha and Amorph definitely aren't going to like being called to task when they thought they had it all ignored *cough* *cough* I mean under control. Just a couple o' tools.
Don't worry, as soon as my work resetting my posts is done I'll disappear forever.
Originally posted by AirSluf
That would be pretty much known as a Power5, seeing as how that's the basic design goal: Multi-core Power4 + SMT = Power5.
well if that's the only differance why won't mac os x run on a power 5
i'm kinda new to the mac world let me know if i'm wrong/right
as i understand it altiVec is not incorporated into the power 5 if i'm right why not?
also what exactly is altiVec...reading more about it as I type...
I always thought it was something like advanced mmx sse sse2...
Now I guess they should have banned me rather than just shut off posting priviledges, because kickaha and Amorph definitely aren't going to like being called to task when they thought they had it all ignored *cough* *cough* I mean under control. Just a couple o' tools.
Don't worry, as soon as my work resetting my posts is done I'll disappear forever.