Look here http://www.chips.ibm.com/news/1999/s390/s390.html
The processor instruction set is a super-set of the ones found in PowerPC (I think).
- Extract from link above
IBM returns with the enhanced, copper-based S/390 G6 that can run at more than 1600 MIPS. By incorporating copper wiring, IBM's chip designers increased system performance, nearly doubled the number of transistors and added two additional processors to the G6's multichip module (MCM) -- without increasing its size. The MCM for the S/390 G6 Turbo server features 31 chips, including 14 microprocessors, representing nearly 1.4 billion transistors wired onto a five-inch-square ceramic substrate.
The danish mag Computer world had an article about a month ago, that mentioned that a lot of the "old" style I/O processors in the big iron machines are being released in new "quick/lite" versions attached directly to the system bus of the S/390. Making the "adapter" interface look more like the ones found in a "normal" *NIX box (PCI/MCA/PCx/...). Making drivers should be a lot easier with these new adapters. The artcile mentioned a Gigabit LAN controller that has already been released.
The article also mentioned that IBM has discussed the Linux port project with Linus.
In Denmark (and i guess in Sweden) it is actually a great honor to receive a honorary degree. We don't use em much, and you usually have to be 70 before you get one, as a reward for a life long achivement.
OSS projects should encourage patches/feature adding, by listing TODO's that can be handled by less experienced programmers, this will "boost the confidence" of newcomers, and hopefully expand the group of active OSS contributers. I have do ne this with success on one of "my" projects.
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I must be thinking of another hi-end IBM system then. Yes you are right, the Power2 is found in high end RS/6000 systems.
Look here http://www.chips.ibm.com/news/1999/s390/s390.html
The processor instruction set is a super-set of the ones found in PowerPC (I think).
- Extract from link above
IBM returns with the enhanced, copper-based S/390 G6 that can run at more than 1600 MIPS. By incorporating copper wiring, IBM's chip designers increased system performance, nearly doubled the number of transistors and added two additional processors to the G6's multichip module (MCM) -- without increasing its size. The MCM for the S/390 G6 Turbo server features 31 chips, including 14 microprocessors, representing nearly 1.4 billion transistors wired onto a five-inch-square ceramic substrate.
- Linux/390 Hmmm
The danish mag Computer world had an article about a month ago, that mentioned that a lot of the "old" style I/O processors in the big iron machines are being released in new "quick/lite" versions attached directly to the system bus of the S/390. Making the "adapter" interface look more like the ones found in a "normal" *NIX box (PCI/MCA/PCx/...). Making drivers should be a lot easier with these new adapters. The artcile mentioned a Gigabit LAN controller that has already been released.
The article also mentioned that IBM has discussed the Linux port project with Linus.
In Denmark (and i guess in Sweden) it is actually a great honor to receive a honorary degree. We don't use em much, and you usually have to be 70 before you get one, as a reward for a life long achivement.
OSS projects should encourage patches/feature adding, by listing TODO's that can
be handled by less experienced programmers, this will "boost the confidence" of
newcomers, and hopefully expand the group of active OSS contributers. I have do
ne this with success on one of "my" projects.