I had the pleasure of working very closely with Proffessor Pratt when I taught a two-semester guest scholar course up there a few years back. He was always obsessed with the miniaturization of computing devices back then, and let's just say he's a little miniature in other areas, too!:) That's just a joke - Prof. Pratt is just as normal as any other guy. But he's fully aware who has the upper hand in raquetball!!
Anyway, the link doesn't go into too much detail of the history of this device, and I certainly didn't work hands-on with it. But I did see and review initial design papers. The first "working" model was actually built on a 386 chip, which really are quite small, inverted and used as a foundation. The copper connectors were run through a global resin-wound resister, so they could do really short wire runs and send instructions directly to the core without induction loss. Usually, in a full sized computer, you can counter-act this using sheer power, but adding that kind of power to this device would, of course, make it bigger than a matchbox.
But where they did make it bigger (bigger being relative!) was in the area of storage. They tried using soft-sim memory as a long-term storage medium, which not only required banks and power, but it would be flushed everytime it lost power. So they had to add anohter battery and alternate power in a sort of RAID-5 storage solution. Then you only power half of it down at a time.
Obviously it made the thing bigger, and it looks like they've moved onto a MUCH better design. I hope they go commercial with this thing - I'd love to program some crap for this puppy!
Anyway, I was just thinking you fellow slashdotters might want a little insight into the earliest designs of this computer.
I took an early version of this chip for a test run a few months ago. I don't have my notes with me, but the tests made enough of an impression on my a I can post most of my findings without them.
- Mip mapping via 133 bus using software rendering. Obviously to get the true results I couldn't make any D3D or Open GL calls or anything. Verdict: Crap. I saw a 45% DECREASE than if I used the direct memory mapped XOX function call. Not suitable for games.
- Real-time mirrored rendering of 3D object. I took a 14 call inverse-pixel image and "mirrored" it using standard calls. No dice. Unbelievably, it was a 22% slower than a Celeron! the image was 800x600 spinning cube at 16 bit color, btw.
- Advanced scalar addition. I just ran calculations and the PIIIZ did okay here, better but not noticably so.
- STL dissolve under standard Win32 API blit calls. Most of these caused the chip to lock, but a quick look at the memory registers show that the 5-10-20 register to be corrupt. Yup, you read that right... A MATH ERROR. One that is worse than the flawed Pentiums, in fact. This chip will be a PR distaster.
I will try and find my notes, I did alot more tests of this sorry piece of crap if you're interested.
If you would like, I could whip up a little plug-in that automatically re-formats his posts for you. Would on take me about 10-15 minutes, max. Hell, I have half of it coded in my head while I sit here typing. Gitch.
The reason you can do that is because I hacked in the site and put that code in there. Hurry up, they'll figure it out sooner or later. Probably later.
I would appreciate it if you would not foul these forums with your inane crap. Some of us are very serious programmers, like myself, and I need this place to share my brilliant ideas with the IT leaders of tomorrow. I would hope that, out of respect for my accomplishements and success, that you would discontinue posting in such a manner.
Please feel free to contact me directly if you wish to discuss this matter further, or if you are interested in becoming a beta test for one of my awesome new games in development. I would be more than happy to let you take a shot at the latest title, "Murder on Sixth Street" and then I'll kick your wimpy ass in deathmath!
I wish I could explain but it isn't the sort of thing I could explain here, and even if I could you wouldn't understand it. Kinda technical. If I'm feeling nice I may compile an exe or something for you, but don't bet on it.
Like pretty much every other company in the industry, they have ripped off half of the design and programming in this game from ME. My love of games prevents me from doing anything about it, anything that furthers gaming is okay by me. I just wish I had a mention in a manual or even a readme.txt
*sigh*
When you're the best, you're bound to be imitated.
Believe me, I knew about it LONG before you did. I know about the generation ot two after that, to varying dgrees. I can't say much more than that, due to a nondisclosure statement I had to sign when I vistited Apple's campus, but I will say this much: Thin. Very very thin. And there won't be just one box on your desk, either.:>
Please stop, or identify yourself so we can discuss this. It will be a man talking to an ape, but maybe you're one of those apes that knows sign language.
You should be printing out my posts and passing them out like a Gideon, butt sweat.
Beacuse that 31 inch TV is all across the room, and that 19" monitor on the desk appears huge when you sit that close to it. Things that are further away look smaller, that's how they did that "I'm crushing your head" trick on Kids from the Hall. Those weren't special effects.
Plus, some people like to watch movies that, you know, you might not want to be in the living room with the kids and wife around.
Slashdot Mirror
I had the pleasure of working very closely with Proffessor Pratt when I taught a two-semester guest scholar course up there a few years back. He was always obsessed with the miniaturization of computing devices back then, and let's just say he's a little miniature in other areas, too! :) That's just a joke - Prof. Pratt is just as normal as any other guy. But he's fully aware who has the upper hand in raquetball!!
Anyway, the link doesn't go into too much detail of the history of this device, and I certainly didn't work hands-on with it. But I did see and review initial design papers. The first "working" model was actually built on a 386 chip, which really are quite small, inverted and used as a foundation. The copper connectors were run through a global resin-wound resister, so they could do really short wire runs and send instructions directly to the core without induction loss. Usually, in a full sized computer, you can counter-act this using sheer power, but adding that kind of power to this device would, of course, make it bigger than a matchbox.
But where they did make it bigger (bigger being relative!) was in the area of storage. They tried using soft-sim memory as a long-term storage medium, which not only required banks and power, but it would be flushed everytime it lost power. So they had to add anohter battery and alternate power in a sort of RAID-5 storage solution. Then you only power half of it down at a time.
Obviously it made the thing bigger, and it looks like they've moved onto a MUCH better design. I hope they go commercial with this thing - I'd love to program some crap for this puppy!
Anyway, I was just thinking you fellow slashdotters might want a little insight into the earliest designs of this computer.
cheers!
sw
I took an early version of this chip for a test run a few months ago. I don't have my notes with me, but the tests made enough of an impression on my a I can post most of my findings without them.
... A MATH ERROR. One that is worse than the flawed Pentiums, in fact. This chip will be a PR distaster.
- Mip mapping via 133 bus using software rendering. Obviously to get the true results I couldn't make any D3D or Open GL calls or anything. Verdict: Crap. I saw a 45% DECREASE than if I used the direct memory mapped XOX function call. Not suitable for games.
- Real-time mirrored rendering of 3D object. I took a 14 call inverse-pixel image and "mirrored" it using standard calls. No dice. Unbelievably, it was a 22% slower than a Celeron! the image was 800x600 spinning cube at 16 bit color, btw.
- Advanced scalar addition. I just ran calculations and the PIIIZ did okay here, better but not noticably so.
- STL dissolve under standard Win32 API blit calls. Most of these caused the chip to lock, but a quick look at the memory registers show that the 5-10-20 register to be corrupt. Yup, you read that right
I will try and find my notes, I did alot more tests of this sorry piece of crap if you're interested.
sw
Usually the optimum seats in a theater are 1/3 of the way, in the middle. I'll go so far as to count seats when I'm in an empty theater.
If you would like, I could whip up a little plug-in that automatically re-formats his posts for you. Would on take me about 10-15 minutes, max. Hell, I have half of it coded in my head while I sit here typing. Gitch.
sw
The reason you can do that is because I hacked in the site and put that code in there. Hurry up, they'll figure it out sooner or later. Probably later.
Tim,
I would appreciate it if you would not foul these forums with your inane crap. Some of us are very serious programmers, like myself, and I need this place to share my brilliant ideas with the IT leaders of tomorrow. I would hope that, out of respect for my accomplishements and success, that you would discontinue posting in such a manner.
Please feel free to contact me directly if you wish to discuss this matter further, or if you are interested in becoming a beta test for one of my awesome new games in development. I would be more than happy to let you take a shot at the latest title, "Murder on Sixth Street" and then I'll kick your wimpy ass in deathmath!
Thanks!
:),
sw
I wish I could explain but it isn't the sort of thing I could explain here, and even if I could you wouldn't understand it. Kinda technical. If I'm feeling nice I may compile an exe or something for you, but don't bet on it.
Like pretty much every other company in the industry, they have ripped off half of the design and programming in this game from ME. My love of games prevents me from doing anything about it, anything that furthers gaming is okay by me. I just wish I had a mention in a manual or even a readme.txt
*sigh*
When you're the best, you're bound to be imitated.
Believe me, I knew about it LONG before you did. I know about the generation ot two after that, to varying dgrees. I can't say much more than that, due to a nondisclosure statement I had to sign when I vistited Apple's campus, but I will say this much: Thin. Very very thin. And there won't be just one box on your desk, either. :>
Please stop, or identify yourself so we can discuss this. It will be a man talking to an ape, but maybe you're one of those apes that knows sign language.
You should be printing out my posts and passing them out like a Gideon, butt sweat.
I went in and hacked the code so it doesn't do that anymore.
I will allow you to beta test my DVD player for only $75 and a $0.25 per-use fee. Please contact me if interested.
Beacuse that 31 inch TV is all across the room, and that 19" monitor on the desk appears huge when you sit that close to it. Things that are further away look smaller, that's how they did that "I'm crushing your head" trick on Kids from the Hall. Those weren't special effects.
Plus, some people like to watch movies that, you know, you might not want to be in the living room with the kids and wife around.