Long msg re: PowerPCs

[Jacobs Chris <jacobs_chris -at- SMTPMAC -dot- BAH -dot- COM>]

These are some messages collected from within my company RE: PowerPC I
thought might be of interest to some of you:

Message 1:
All BA&H software issued to desktop computers is guaranteed to work with it.
According to Roderick Harrington of the London office,

"The only drawbacks I've found so far is that its very RAM hungry and the
regular Mac side of it is slightly slower than the Quadra 610 I was using
previously."

My experience shows that a 6100/60 runs as fast in emulation as an LCIII; an
8100 runs as fast a Quadra 700 in emulation.  Word suffers not one jot: it's
just as lazy as it is on an 840av; Excel does calculate a little faster, but
overall runs at the same speed.  Most graphics packages show a noticeable
increase in speed, since QuickDraw has been made to run at full bore.  Do not
run AfterDark on a PPC: it will slow your system to a complete crawl.

Hope some of this helps.  The vote: too soon to tell.  There's probably no
reason not to, since native apps we use are a few short months away.  As more
native apps are released, and as new releases of System 7.x come out, your
system will get faster and better as it gets older.  A Quadra will not, and
that's really something to consider.

Jim

Message 2:

One more minor data point.......At our client site they've just gotten a few
8100/80 machines.  Since this client population is very mail oriented, cross
platform usage is important.  cc:Mail was run over our Novell network
directly to these machines running both Mac and Softwindows in emulation.
the mail packages ran flawlessly in both modes, including allowing launching
MSWord documents (attachments) from both the Mac presentation and the Windows
screen regardless of the origin.  We haven't had time to play with Excel or
Power Point yet.

The early verdict:  A great victory for cross platform LANs.  Now if we could
just do something with NeXT.......hmmmm

Al

Message 3:

The one negative comment I will make (and this is actually do to the way
Microsoft writes software) Excel doing big nasty calculation intensive stuff
will not run as fast as a coprocessor '040. (The PPC's emulate 020 sans
68881). I had a 8500 row, 20 column spreadsheet that a crosstab was performed
on. 12 hours on a 6100/60, 3 hours on a 610. However, if the software would
have been native mode: I estimate the time would have been 28 minutes on the
PPC. Also, the After Dark warning is very legitimate. Don't run non-native
inits if you can help it.


Message 4:


THE FOLLOWING RELEASE MOVED OVER PR NEWSWIRE ON MONAY, APRIL 25, 1994 AT 8:33
AM, EST.


Power Macintosh Line Trounces Pentium Processor-based PCs,
Independent Study Shows

CUPERTINO, California,--April 25, 1994--A new study has found that
all three of Apple's new Power Macintosh  computers outperform
comparably equipped Pentium-based personal computers running Windows.
The study was completed by Ingram Laboratories, an independent
personal computer testing firm.  The Ingram study measured
performance on 25 different everyday tasks including opening files,
scrolling, and spell checking.
     "The results are conclusive: Power Mac systems beat Pentium
processor-based systems, hands down.  What's more, they're easier to
use, cost less, and with SoftWindows Software from Insignia
Solutions, they can run DOS and Windows as well as Macintosh
applications," said Ian Diery, executive vice president and general
manager of Apple's Personal Computer Division.  "These results give
DOS and Windows users even more reason to consider switching to
Macintosh ."
      The Ingram Laboratories study found the following:
- The Apple  Power Macintosh 8100/80 outperformed a 66MHz Pentium
processor-based computer by an average of 54%.
- The Apple Power Macintosh 7100/66 outperformed a 66MHz Pentium
processor-based computer by an average of 38%.
- The Apple Power Macintosh 6100/60 outperformed a 66MHz Pentium
processor-based computer by an average of 5% and beat a
60Mhz Pentium processor-based computer by an average of 24%.
     Ingram ran a total of 25 tests incorporating four applications:
Adobe Photoshop, Aldus Freehand (beta), Frame Technology Framemaker
(beta), and Fractal Design Painter (beta).
      Outstanding Price/Performance
In addition, data from the Ingram Study combined with independent
pricing research* confirms that Power Macintosh systems offer the
best price/performance value in the mainstream personal computer
market today.  The data from these sources unmistakably demonstrates
that Power Macintosh computers offer customers significant price and
performance advantages over comparably-equipped Pentium processor-
based PCs from leading manufacturers.  For example, the Power
Macintosh 6100/60 is priced at least $1,000 less than a comparable
60MHz Pentium processor-based PC, but is 24% faster on the tasks
measured.
     Power Macintosh is a new line of Apple Macintosh personal computers
that offers the affordability of mainstream personal computers, and
the capability to run applications for Macintosh, and with optional
software, MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows.  The three new Power
Macintosh models--the Power Macintosh 6100/60, 7100/66, and 8100/80--
join the midrange and high-end of the Macintosh family.  Based on the
PowerPC 601 microprocessor, Power Macintosh computers offer the
highest performance of any personal computer available today.
     *International Data Corp. PC Street Price Index and CI InfoCorp
PricePoint Weekly. (U.S. prices)
     EDITOR'S NOTE:  Please contact Aner Menendez at (408) 974-0658 for a
complete summary of the Ingram Study.
-30-
Apple, the Apple logo, and Macintosh are registered trademarks, and
Power Macintosh is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.  PowerPC is a
trademark of IBM Corp. used under license therefrom. Windows is a
trademark of Microsoft licensed to Insignia Solutions


Fact Sheet

Power Macintosh Line Trounces Pentium Processor-based PCs

Methodology
Relative performance of each computer was determined by measuring the
time needed to complete a set of typical functions using a variety of
applications.  The tests were designed to simulate everyday tasks.
Ingram ran a total of 25 tests incorporating four applications:
Adobe Photoshop, Aldus Freehand (beta), Frame Technology Framemaker
(beta), and Fractal Design Painter (beta).  The tests included
standard functions such as opening a file, scrolling, spell checking,
and applying filters.
     Compaq models tested were representative of Pentium processor-based
computers.  These results should reflect performance for typical
Pentium processor-based computers, but actual performance may vary
from one manufacturer to another.  Also, performance of both
Macintosh  and Windows is sensitive to configuration.  Ingram
attempted to ensure that machines were comparably configured on both
sides.
     The results were normalized so no one test carried more weight than
any other.  These scores were then compiled into a performance
rating, expressed in multiples of the speed of the 486SX/25.
     (Note that computers based on versions of Pentium processors faster
than 66MHz and PowerPC  processors faster than 80MHz were not
available at the time of testing.  Benchmarks for both will be
conducted when these computers are widely available).  The tests were
conducted in April of 1994.

Processor/MHz  Computer
PowerPC  601/80Apple  Power Macintosh  8100/80
PowerPC 601/66 Apple Power Macintosh 7100/66
PowerPC 601/60 Apple Power Macintosh 6100/60
Pentium/66 Compaq Deskpro 566/M
Pentium/60 Compaq Deskpro XE 560
486SX/25   Compaq Presario 425

Configurations
All systems except for the 486SX were configured with 16MB of main
memory and either 250 or 500MB hard disk drives.  Although all Apple
Macintosh computers come equipped with high-performance SCSI,
networking hardware and software, 16-bit audio--features which
typically add  hundreds of dollars to the cost of Intel processor-
based PCs--the cost of these features was not factored into the
price/performance calculations.  With these additional features
factored in, the price/performance ratios would have been even more
favorable for the Power Macintosh computers.
     Pricing Information
Apple Power Macintosh pricing was based on U.S. Apple Price and
verified with International Data Corporation PC Weekly Pricing Update
at the time of testing.  Additional memory was priced at $390.00 for
8MB, based on CompUSA prices at the time of testing.
     The Compaq Deskpro XE 560 pricing was based on PC Connection prices
at the time of testing and verified with the CI InfoCorp PricePoint
Weekly.  Additional memory was priced at $549.00 for 8MB, based on PC
Connection prices at the time of testing.
     The Compaq Deskpro 566/M pricing was based on Compaq Direct pricing
at the time of testing. (Due to extremely limited availability of
66MHz Pentium processor-based computers neither the IDC PC Weekly
Pricing Update nor PC Connection were able to supply prices for the
Compaq Deskpro 566/M at the time of the testing).
     Prices used as a basis of comparison:
Apple Power Macintosh 8100/80  $4,952.00
Apple Power Macintosh 7100/66  $3,588.50
Apple Power Macintosh 6100/60  $2,321.50
Compaq Deskpro 566/M   $4,933.75
Compaq Deskpro XE 560  $3,598.00
-30-
Apple, the Apple logo, and Macintosh are registered trademarks, and
Power Macintosh is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.  PowerPC is a
trademark of IBM Corp. used under license therefrom. Windows is a
trademark of Microsoft licensed to Insignia Solutions.