Just to have a statement in this thread from a .sgi.com person ...
Ralf
> From: ariel@yon.engr.sgi.com (Ariel Faigon)
> Message-Id: <199704101758.KAA02138@yon.engr.sgi.com>
> Subject: Re: Why Linux on SGI
> Date: Thu, 10 Apr 1997 10:58:03 -0700 (PDT)
> Reply-To: ariel@relay.engr.SGI.COM (Ariel Faigon)
[...]
> Miguel's answer is excellent. For the non-SGI'ers on the list
> I just would like to add:
>
> 1) IRIX has many features that important customers require
> (e.g. trusted IRIX capabilities, real time scheduling
> and many more) that actually make it slower than Linux
> (in general). As a vendor SGI is committed to support
> these features from low end to high end for a long time
> to come. IRIX is big. Linux is smaller and faster.
> Once we have Linux running and we'll start running simple
> benchmarks you'll see this very clearly. Another big feature
> for our customers is XFS. Linux doesn't support a safe file
> system, IRIX does (try to turn off your Linux box and you
> lost a lot of stuff, unlike on IRIX with XFS.
(Tell me ...)
> 2) IRIX needs to run on machines that are incredibly different:
> from uniprocessors through SMP (which Linux is now getting at)
> to the S2MP model (no shared bus: Origin family) every feature
> added to support S2MP (the Origin line) may potentially complicate
> and slow down the uP desktop case. SGI customers demand
> one source base. They want to compile on O2 and run on Origin.
> Linux is just starting to get a feel for how complex is SMP
> vs. uP so it'll naturally run great on a uP but wouldn't be
> able to take advantage of the most scalable architecture of
> the Origins. As we've learned this requires rewriting large
> parts of your kernel from scratch. Which is why SGI is doing
> Cellular IRIX
> http://www.sgi.com/Technology/Irix6.4/cellular_irix6.4tr.html
>
> 3) IRIX runs only on SGIs and to get upgrades you need to
> pay for support. Linux runs on many platforms. It is free
> The common source base gives it a great advantage for people
> who have mixed envs. It is affordable and ideal for hackers.
> it has a big and fast growing following.
>
> 4) IRIX has no chance of beating M$oft. Linux doesn't either
> but it has a bit more. Just kidding.
>
> The guy who said "SGI has hundreds of highly paid engineers
> tuning IRIX to run fast on MIPS" simply misses the issues.
> They are much more complex than that.
>
> Both Linux and IRIX have their place. Each of them is good
> at different things. People should have a choice between SGI
> taking care of all their needs and the alternative to have
> full control of their software.
>
> Linux on SGI should prosper.
>
> --
> Peace, Ariel
>
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