HP HP 3000 Performance free download

File name HP_3000_Performance.txt

The HP-3000 series of computers dates back to 1972 with the first model, the HP3000/CX which ran the MultiProgramming Executive, MPE-C operating system with 64K bytes of core memory (addressed as 32K 16-bit words). Subsequent models (Series II, Series III) added additional addressing capabilities to include additional "banks" of 64Kb memory and each model brought out a new operating system (MPE II, MPE III). All models were and have continued to be object-code compatible (at least forward-compatible) with few exceptions (most notably the change in floating-point format from the CX). Microprocessor-based 3000's were introduced with the models 30 and 33 concurrent with a changeover of the prevalent I/O architecture to HP-IB. Later models expanded the product line to the models 40, 44, and 64 and correspondingly the MPE IV operating system. Shortly thereafter, "disc cacheing" came into being and the controversial "MPE V" operating system. MPE V was eventually delivered in three flavors: * MPE V/P for existing 3x, 4x, and 6x models which was marketed as an upgrade (40-42, 44-48, and 64-68) but involved no hardware (if the memory expansion was omitted). This provided disc cacheing software. * MPE V/E which *did* require hardware upgrade (to support extended CST tables, among other things) providing disc cache and extended tables. * MPE-V R for the series II/III to give MPE-V functionality without the disc cacheing option (they were considered too memory constrained). This was the last release of MPE for these systems (now unsupported). HP experimented with a 32-bit version of the HP3000 CISC-based processor code named "Vision" but it never came to market; instead they opted for the RISC-based "Spectrum" machines where the current HP3000/9xx systems have their roots. Although radically different in architecture and in their instruction sets, the "Spectrum" series maintained an imbedded "Compatibility Mode" facility which (largely but not completely) kept the forward-compatibility object code concept alive. The underlying operating system (initially called HPE internally) became MPE/XL. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE FOLLOWING ARE EXCERPTS from the FAQ document, available for free via the Internet (instructions at end). Each answer also lists the question number from the FAQ document. An outline of all the questions and answers, grouped by topic area, appears at the beginning of the FAQ document. How does the performance of various HP 3000 models compare? From question 2.1.6.3 in the FAQ document, several HP3000-L members contributed to the following list; some of the numbers came from various HP marketing pieces, some were extrapolated (BIG CAVEAT; relative performance numbers are very rough approximations and are only for general comparisons--your mileage will vary). Relative HP 3000 System Performance HP 3000 System Relative Performance HP 3000