From: kunkel@rchland.vnet.ibm.com (Steven Kunkel)
Subject: Re: IBM AS/400 is the world's slowest computer
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 22:07:36 GMT
Reply-To: kunkel@vnet.ibm.com
Disclaimer: This posting represents the poster's views, not necessarily those of IBM
Organization: IBM Rochester

In article <1992Dec20.221103.13995@ksmith.uucp>, keith@ksmith.uucp (Keith Smith) writes:
|> In article <1992Dec18.165950.15013@webo.dg.com> lewine@cheshirecat.webo.dg.com writes:
|> >IBM is currently running full-page Ads that claim "The AS/400
|> >is the world's most powerfull computer with the industry's best
|> >price/performance(*)"
|> >
|> >"(*) According to the TPC-C benchmark results published through
|> >     12/3/92"
|> >
|> 
|> Yea, I laughed so hard my sides ached!
|> 
|> >IBM does not point out the the AS/400 is the only computer with
|> >TPC-C results published as of 12/3/93.  The AS/400 is also the
|> >world's slowest and most expensive computer by the same benchmark.
|> 
|> Dog slow.  But to the people who buy them they don't care.  The fact is
|> the AS/400 runs their apps that they have ported up from S/3 cards for
|> the last 20 years, and they are too lazy to try something different, so
|> they pay, and pay, and pay....
|> 
|> >
|> >Do people fall for this stuff?  IBM claims that the AS/400 is the
|> >best selling mid-range system in the world, so someone must fall
|> >for it.
|> 
|> Compile time for a 1000+ line program on a 486/33 w/8MB RAM using UNIBOL
|> RPG was about 8 times faster than an AS/400 B20 with 8MB RAM.  Seconds

The B20 is the second smallest AS/400 ever shipped and was announced
4.5 years ago.  The current largest model is about 20 times faster
(TPC-C type benchmark).  The B20 is also a multi-user system.  What
were the other 10 or 20 users doing when you compiled?  Any batch
jobs running?  TPC-C is a system benchmark.  A compile is a CPU
benchmark.  There is a different.  The AS/400 system has a couple
(many hand fulls on the high end) of cheap, off-the-shelf micros
thrown in as a cost effect way of off loading I/O processing from
the CPU.
   
|> as opposed to minutes.  Again, IBM will hold your ignorant MIS
|> departments hands from purchase, to setup to delivery.  All they'll have
|> to is write even more indicator mad code that takes forever to run, that
|> will of course require an even bigger AS/400 (or perhaps a 486/33 with a
|> better compiler ...)
|> 
|> If you own one, pray no one nukes the New England plant where all 100 or
|> so people that know AS/400 internals work.
|> 
|> >--------------------------------------------------------------------
|> >Donald A. Lewine                (508) 870-9008 Voice
|> >Data General Corporation        (508) 366-0750 FAX
|> >4400 Computer Drive. MS D112A
|> >Westboro, MA 01580  U.S.A.
|> >
|> >uucp: uunet!dg!lewine   Internet: lewine@cheshirecat.webo.dg.com
|> 
|> 
|> -- 
|> Keith Smith          uunet!ksmith!keith            5719 Archer Rd.
|> Digital Designs      BBS 1-919-423-4216            Hope Mills, NC 28348-2201
|> Somewhere in the Styx of North Carolina ...

-- 

Regards,

Steven Kunkel
Mail: IBM
      3605 Hwy. 52 North
      Rochester, MN  55901-7829
Phone: (507)253-0698
Email: kunkel@vnet.ibm.com
Disclaimer: Ya' know.  What the lawyers need to see.  I spoke, not IBM. 
Newsgroups: comp.arch