Re: [Fwd: linus.linux.sgi.com]

[Eric Kimminau <eak@detroit.sgi.com>]

Warning! Danger!

FUD. FUD. FUD.

dmanddmer wrote:
> 
> Btw, I heard a rumor that the memory in the VPC is custom or unique
> memory.  Is this true?  How much of the VPC, besides the obvious, is not
> industry standard?  If SGI is attempting solely to require customers to
> be able to buy any upgrades ONLY from SGI, then SGI has shot itself in
> the foot again.  It did not work for Apple, it didn't work for Unisys,
> it didn't work for Intergraph.  In short, it hasn't worked for anyone.
> 
> David M.

It is not a rumor. It is fact. The ram being used in the VPC is like the
memory in no other PC (that I know of) being manufactured today.

You know that SGI has pioneered several mainstream simm/dimm technologies? In
fact we hold the patents on a couple I believe. I'll leave it as an excercise
to the curious to find out which ones. When you see the size of the 40 pin
dimms we use in the VPC and then realize the density they are capable of in
less than half the space of currently available dimms, perhaps you will
reconsider your position.

Every time SGI introduces new ram technology, very shortly Kingston or some
other chip vendor starts making them and they are always cheaper than what you
can get from SGI directly. Then they start appearing in all the "standard"
generic clones.

Every new platform we have announced since the Indy has used ram technology
that noone else was really using. We use the best technology to gain the
highest levels of performance. You can buy Octane and O2 ram at WalMart now,
for chrissakes.
A quick search for "SGI O2 memory" on any search engine will show you a
hundred or so hits. VPC will take a little bit, but you can be sure there will
be 3rd party memory sources.

How much of the VPC is standard today? large portions. dual PCI bus (get that
from a clone) (and what does it cost to get it on a Sun?), the CPU's, serial
port, fire wire interfaces, parallel port, video in and out, digital audio
with all the standard ports, etc. The important parts, the parts that blow the
doors off of every other same-ol, same-ol generic clone PC isn't industry
standard, YET. 

How about you take this elsewhere, please.

EAK.

-- 
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Eric Kimminau        eak@detroit.sgi.com      Field Technical Support
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