VAXen RULE! (Was: Microkernels)

[Roy J. Tellason]

On Tuesday 08 August 2006 09:11 pm, Scott Quinn wrote:
> > The best processor is going to be different based on the person
> >you are talking to.  Everyone has their own idea as to what
> >features are important, and fond old memories of working on
> >an ancient (wasn't then) OS tend to sway their decision.
>
> That was implied, but I'll reiterate: What platform (includes
> implementation) do you think was really neat and why.
>
> P.S. The VAX had problems quote was mostly to illustrate that all computers
> can be dissed. Somebody asked why: mostly implementation. The original VAX
> was very instruction-heavy, but DEC did it right and started offloading to
> "heavy microcode" (read emulator). However, some VAXen designed in 1992
> were still using Q-bus for main expansion. 'Nuff said. Implementation.
> There are other little bits like this.

Ok,  I'm not at all familiar with this hardware,  so maybe I'm a little 
unclear when it comes to what you're talking about here -- you like the CPU 
but don't like the bus?  Or is that something else?

-- 
Member of the toughest, meanest, deadliest, most unrelenting -- and
ablest -- form of life in this section of space,  a critter that can
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