Sun Sparc2 offered to me. What should I check for?

From: healyzh_at_aracnet.com <(healyzh_at_aracnet.com)>
Date: Mon Nov 13 19:02:39 2000

> I am being offered a Sun Sparc2 locally. These are not really common
> where I live...I could always get one from ebay...still

Well.... In all honesty a Sparc 2 is a dog....

> Seems my collection of "home pc's" will now be extended to Sun
> systems...I am not familliar with these really...

No problem, they're fairly simple and definitly cool little machines.

> Rather then search the net for hours, I taught I might find an "expert"
> here to give me straight answers...
>
> Unit comes with keyboard, mouse, 64M ram 2G HD. What a decent price for
> this? They seem to go for anything from $10 to $40 on epay...

The $10-40 range seems fair. The real question is what S-Bus cards does it
include. Does it have a Framebuffer or anything else? The S-Bus cards can
raise its value.

Remember this machine is a real dog by todays standards, try and keep the
price as low as possible. If it had the 32MB RAM S-Bus board, or better yet,
that and the 32MB Piggyback board for either 96MB or 128MB, then it would be
an OK system. Mine has a total of 96MB, but came with only 64MB. With
Solaris 2.6 I couldn't run Netscape in 64MB, but it's OK in 96MB. Obviously
running another OS or OS version will result in different results.

> What kinda monitor will this need?

I'm guessing it would depend on the framebuffer, I'm really not up on this
as mine is headless.

> What should I check for?
> What kinda performance does this thing offer if I wanna try it out?
> (compared to...)

Well, it just so happens I was looking this up to compare my SS2 to the SS10
I just got. I've chopped out a lot of the below table so that it isn't quite
so huge. I think the stuff below is all workstations (not sure on the
HP's). Just remember these are the SPECint92 and SPECfp92 numbers. Things
such as I/O and how much RAM you've got, as well as the OS you're running will
effect how fast the machine *feels*.

******** TABLE 7: SPECint92, SPECfp92 ********

Notes:
        - SPECint92 is derived from the results of a set of integer
          benchmarks, and can be used to estimate a machine's single-tasking
          performance on integer code.
        - SPECfp92 is derived from the results of a set of floating point
          benchmarks, and can be used to estimate a machine's single-tasking
          performance on floating-point code.

(to sort on SPECint92/SPECfp92, "sort -n +0.48 -0.55"/"sort -n +0.56 -0.63" )

Field start, end column positions:
0,17 18,28 29,36 37,47 48,55 56,63 64,69 70,79
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
System CPU ClkMHz Cache SPECint SPECfp Info Source
Name (NUMx)Type ext/in Ext+I/D 92 92 Date Obtained
================= ========== ======= ========== ======= ======= ===== =========
DEC VAX11/780 VAX 5 8 1.0 1.0 Jan89 SPEC Ref
DEC VAX3100/38 ? ? ? 3.5 3.8 Mar93 DECinfo
DEC VAX3100/76 REX520 ? 128 7.1 6.6 Mar93 DECinfo
DEC VAX4000VLC SOC ? 25 5.8 6.3 Mar93 DECinfo
DEC VAX4000/60 KA46 22.2 ? 11.1 12.6 Mar93 DECinfo
DEC VAX4000/90 NVAX 71 2/8 ? 30.2 Sep92 SPEC news
DEC 5000/20 R3000 20 64/64 13.5 18.4 Jun93 DECinfo
DEC 5000/25 R3000 25 64/64 15.7 21.7 Jun93 DECinfo
DEC 5000/33 R3000 33 64/128 20.9 23.4 Sep92 SPEC news
DEC 5000/50,150 R4000 50/100 1M+8/8 46.7 45.9 Sep93 c.arch
DEC 5000/120 R3000 20 64/64 13.8 18.4 Jun93 DECinfo
DEC 5000/125 R3000 25 64/64 16.1 21.7 Jun93 DECinfo
DEC 5000/133 R3000 33 64/128 20.9 29.1 Jun93 DECinfo
DEC 5000/200 R3000 25 64/64 19.5 26.7 Jun93 DECinfo
DEC 5000/240 R3000 40 64/64 27.9 35.8 Jun93 DECinfo
DEC 5000/260 R4400 60/120 1M+16/16 57.1 54.5 Sep93 c.arch
DEC 5000/280 R4400 60/120 1M+16/16 56.9 55.6 Jun93 DECinfo
DEC 3000/300 A21064 30/150 256+8/8 66.2 91.5 Apr93 c.sun.mc
DEC 3000/300L A21064 20/100 256+8/8 45.9 63.6 Apr93 c.sun.mc
DEC 3000/300LX A21064 25/125 256+8/8 63.5 75.5 May94 SPEC news
DEC 3000/300X A21064 35/175 256+8/8 84.4 100.5 May94 SPEC news
DEC 255/233 A21064A ??/233 1M+16/16 180.0 210.0 Mar96 Digital
DEC 255/300 A21064A ??/300 1M+16/16 215.0 245.0 Mar96 Digital
DEC 500/266 A21164 43/266 2M+96+8/8 329.0 405.0 Mar96 Digital
DEC 500/333 A21164 46/333 2M+96+8/8 389.6 480.1 Mar96 Digital
DEC [24]00/4/166 A21064 33/166 512+8/8 116.2 134.8 Jul95 Digital
DEC [24]00/4/233 A21064A 39/233 512+16/16 157.7 183.9 Apr95 Digital
DEC 600/5/266 A21164 38/266 2M+96+8/8 289.0 405.0 Jul95 Digital
DEC 600/5/266 A21164 38/266 4M+96+8/8 292.8 433.5 Jul95 Digital
DEC 600/5/300 A21164 75/300 4M+96+8/8 337.8 502.1 Jul95 Digital
DEC 600/5/333 A21164 83/333 4M+96+8/8 412.4 545.2 Jan96 Digital
HP 705 PA1.1 35 32/64 21.9 33.0 Nov92 Sunflash
HP 710 PA1.1 50 32/64 31.6 47.6 Oct92 c.arch
HP 712/60 PA7100LC 60 64 67.0 85.3 Jun95 www.hp
HP 712/80i PA7100LC 80 256 84.1 79.0 Jan94 HP
HP 712/80 PA7100LC 80 256 97.1 123.3 Jun95 www.hp
HP 712/100 PA7100LC 100 256 117.2 144.2 Jun95 www.hp
HP 715/33 PA7100 33 64/64 32.5 52.4 Jan94 HP
HP 715/50 PA7100 50 64/64 49.2 78.8 Jan94 HP
HP 715/75 PA7100 75 256/256 82.6 127.2 Jan94 HP
HP 715/64 PA7100LC 64 256 80.6 109.4 Jun95 www.hp
HP 715/80 PA7100LC 80 256 96.3 123.2 Jun95 www.hp
HP 715/100 PA7100LC 100 256 115.1 138.7 Jun95 www.hp
HP 715/100XC PA7100LC 100 1M 132.2 184.6 Jun95 www.hp
HP 720 PA1.1 50 128/256 38.5 66.1 Jun93 DECinfo
HP 725 PA7100 50 64/64 37.1 72.8 Apr93 Sunflash
HP 725/75 PA7100 75 256/256 80.3 126.8 May94 HP
HP 730 PA1.1 66 128/256 47.8 75.4 May92 c.sun.hw
HP 7[35]5 PA7100 99 256/256 109.1 167.9 Jan94 HP
HP 7[35]5/125 PA7150 125 256/256 136 201 Apr94 HP
HP 750 PA1.1 66 256/256 48.1 75.0 Oct92 c.arch
IBM 320H POWER 25 8/64 20.9 39.4 Nov92 Sunflash
IBM 340 POWER 33 8/32 27.7 51.9 Oct92 c.arch
IBM 350 POWER 41.6 8/32 35.4 74.2 Nov92 Digital
IBM 355 POWER 41.6 32/32 48.1 83.3 Sep93 c.arch
IBM 365,570 POWER 50 32/32 57.5 99.2 Sep93 c.arch
IBM 37[05T] POWER 62.5 32/32 70.3 121.1 Sep93 c.arch
IBM 380 POWER2 59 32/64 99.3 187.2 Mar95 www.ibm
IBM 390 POWER2 67 1M+32/64 114.3 205.3 Feb95 www.ibm
Sun SS/ELC FJMB86903 33 64 18.2 17.9 Nov92 Sunflash
Sun SS/IPC FJMB86902 25 64 13.8 11.1 Nov92 Sunflash
Sun SS/IPX FJMB86903 40 64 21.8 21.5 Nov92 Sunflash
Sun SS2 RT601 40 64 21.8 22.8 Oct92 c.arch
Sun SS2/PowerUp WeitekPwUP 40/80 16/8 32.2 31.1 Jun93 c.sun.an
Sun SS10/20 SuprSP 33 20/16 39.8 46.6 Nov92 Sunflash
Sun SS10/30 SuprSP 36 20/16 45.2 54.0 Apr93 Cockcroft
Sun SS10/40 SuprSP 40 20/16 50.2 60.2 Apr93 Sunflash
Sun SS10/41 SuprSP 40/40.3 1M+20/16 53.2 67.8 Apr93 Cockcroft
Sun SS10/51 SuprSP 40/50 1M+20/16 65.2 83.0 Apr93 Sunflash
Sun Classic,LX MicroSP 50 4/2 26.4 21.0 Nov92 Sunflash
Sun Voyager MicroSP2 60 16/8 43.2 36.2 Mar94 Sun
Sun SS4/70 MicroSP2 70 16/8 59.6 46.8 Jan95 Sunflash
Sun SS4/85 MicroSP2 85 16/8 65.3 53.1 May95 SunIntro
Sun SS5/70 MicroSP2 70 16/8 57.0 47.3 Mar94 Sunflash
Sun SS5/85 MicroSP2 85 16/8 65.3 53.1 May95 SunIntro
Sun SS5/110 MicroSP2 110 16/8 78.6 65.3 May95 SunIntro
Sun SS5/Turbo160 TurboSP 80/160 512+16/16 132 111 Nov96 FujiMicro
Sun SS20/50 SuprSP 50 20/16 76.9 80.1 May95 SunIntro
Sun SS20/51 SuprSP 40/50 1M+20/16 81.8 89.0 May95 SunIntro
Sun SS20/61 SuprSP 50/60 1M+20/16 98.2 107.2 May95 SunIntro
Sun SS20/71 SuprSP2 50/75 1M+20/16 125.8 121.2 Jan95 SunIntro
Sun SS20/612 2xSuprSP 50/60 1M+20/16 ? 127.1 Sep94 SPEC news
Sun SS20/HS11 HyperSP 50/100 256+8/0 104.5 127.6 Nov94 SunIntro
Sun SS20/HS21 HyperSP 50/125 256+8/0 131.2 153.0 May95 SunIntro
Sun SS20/151 HyperSP 50/150 512+8/0 169.4 208.2 Nov95 SunWorld
Sun Ultra1/140 UltSP 71/143 512+16/16 215 303 Nov95 SunIntro
Sun Ultra1/170 UltSP 83/167 512+16/16 252 351 Nov95 SunIntro
Sun Ultra2/2200 2xUltSP 100/200 1M+16/16 332 505 Nov95 SunIntro
Intel 486DX 80486 50 256+8 30.1 14.0 Oct92 c.arch
Intel 486DX2 80486DX2 33/66 0+8 32.4 16.1 Sep92 uproc rpt
Intel Xpress Pentium 60 256+8/8 70.4 55.1 Mar95 www.intel
Intel Xpress Pentium 66 256+8/8 78.0 63.6 Mar95 www.intel
Intel Xpress Pentium 50/75 512+8/8 89.1 68.5 Mar95 www.intel
Intel Xpress Pentium 60/90 512+8/8 106.5 81.4 Mar95 www.intel
Intel Xpress Pentium 60/90 1M+8/8 110.1 84.4 Mar95 www.intel
Intel Xpress Pentium 66/100 512+8/8 118.1 89.9 Mar95 www.intel
Intel Xpress Pentium 66/100 1M+8/8 121.9 93.2 Mar95 www.intel
Intel Xpress Pentium 60/120 512+8/8 133.7 99.5 Mar95 www.intel
Intel Xpress Pentium 60/120 1M+8/8 140.0 103.9 Mar95 www.intel
Intel Xpress Pentium 66/133 512+8/8 147.5 109.6 Jun95 www.intel
Intel Xpress Pentium 66/133 1M+8/8 155.5 116.9 Jun95 www.intel
Intel XXpress Pentium 66/100 1M+8/8 137.7 ? Jan96 www.intel
Intel XXpress Pentium 60/120 1M+8/8 157.3 108.4 Jan96 www.intel
Intel XXpress Pentium 66/133 1M+8/8 174.2 120.6 Jan96 www.intel
Intel XXpress Pentium 60/150 1M+8/8 181.4 ? Jan96 www.intel
Intel XXpress Pentium 66/166 1M+8/8 197.5 ? Jan96 www.intel
Intel Alder PentPro 150 256+8/8 243.9 220.0 Jan96 www.intel
Intel Alder PentPro 166 512+8/8 327.1 261.3 Nov95 www.intel
Intel Alder PentPro 180 256+8/8 287.1 254.6 Jan96 www.intel
Intel Alder PentPro 200 256+8/8 318.4 283.2 Jan96 www.intel


> It will run Linux right?

It looks like it, plus it should run SunOS, Solaris, NetBSD, and OpenBSD.


                        Zane
Received on Mon Nov 13 2000 - 19:02:39 GMT