"Technical Joe-Pinions" is a collection of thoughts, opinions, anecdotes, and observations about the "dark art" that is overclocking, and the wonderful diversity of people who practice this craft.
The Classics
What makes something "a classic"? To me, a true classic inspires great admiration from the moment it sees the light of day, and every day thereafter. Something that is classical is beautiful, with a beauty that transcends conventional definitions of aesthetic success. Moreover, a true classic is something that defies time, worthy of admiration even after the sheen of newness has worn off; a true classic seems to become more beautiful, more worthy of admiration, as time goes by.
True classics seem to wear a cachet of exclusivity and prestige; after all, not everything can qualify to be considered a classic. Whether appraised against its contemporaries or against peers that come after its own time, a true classic will seem to always measure up.
Art in all its myriad forms -- music, sculpture, cinema, painting, architecture, industrial design, or whatever else -- has its share of true classics. But technology also has its classics.
Consider automobiles as an example. Few would argue about the status of, say, the Shelby Cobra (in all its varied forms) as a classic. The 1957 Chevy Bel Air is another true classic, as is the 1985 Lamborghini Countach 5000 Quattrovalvole (more so than most other Countach models). These cars are not the only examples of "classic" cars, but I would argue that rare would be the list that would omit all three of these cars.
Even in computing, there are some classics. I think that AMD's Socket 939 (yes, yes, I'm terribly biased) is one of a very select few that would qualify. Originally released in mid-2004, it is arguably still relevant in mid-2008. Though AMD ceased production of CPUs in mid-2007, there is still a considerable number of enthusiasts who continue to use S939 platforms in their primary machines. It is not as fast as Socket AM2, which is a refresh of AMD's awesome K8 platform, but that's to be expected given AM2's greater memory bandwidth potential and refined manufacturing techniques. Nevertheless, the fact that AM2 does not significantly outperform S939 by a big margin (not nearly as much as S939 made Intel's NetBurst Pentiums and AMD's own S754 platform pale in coparison) only reinforces the argument that S939 is a true classic.
Intel's Core 2, which wrested the performance crown from S939, is shaping up to be a classic in its own right as well. Intel needed something special to replace its NetBurst architecture, and Core 2 delivered. Core 2 was what S939 was to the Pentium 4, a decisive improvement over the reigning performance champion. When Core 2 is finally retired (perhaps as soon as next year) as the greatest expression of FSB-based CPUs (K8s are based on the HTT Clock, remember, which is not the same as a FSB), Intel will have its equivalent to AMD's S939.
True classics seem to wear a cachet of exclusivity and prestige; after all, not everything can qualify to be considered a classic. Whether appraised against its contemporaries or against peers that come after its own time, a true classic will seem to always measure up.
Art in all its myriad forms -- music, sculpture, cinema, painting, architecture, industrial design, or whatever else -- has its share of true classics. But technology also has its classics.
Consider automobiles as an example. Few would argue about the status of, say, the Shelby Cobra (in all its varied forms) as a classic. The 1957 Chevy Bel Air is another true classic, as is the 1985 Lamborghini Countach 5000 Quattrovalvole (more so than most other Countach models). These cars are not the only examples of "classic" cars, but I would argue that rare would be the list that would omit all three of these cars.
Even in computing, there are some classics. I think that AMD's Socket 939 (yes, yes, I'm terribly biased) is one of a very select few that would qualify. Originally released in mid-2004, it is arguably still relevant in mid-2008. Though AMD ceased production of CPUs in mid-2007, there is still a considerable number of enthusiasts who continue to use S939 platforms in their primary machines. It is not as fast as Socket AM2, which is a refresh of AMD's awesome K8 platform, but that's to be expected given AM2's greater memory bandwidth potential and refined manufacturing techniques. Nevertheless, the fact that AM2 does not significantly outperform S939 by a big margin (not nearly as much as S939 made Intel's NetBurst Pentiums and AMD's own S754 platform pale in coparison) only reinforces the argument that S939 is a true classic.
Intel's Core 2, which wrested the performance crown from S939, is shaping up to be a classic in its own right as well. Intel needed something special to replace its NetBurst architecture, and Core 2 delivered. Core 2 was what S939 was to the Pentium 4, a decisive improvement over the reigning performance champion. When Core 2 is finally retired (perhaps as soon as next year) as the greatest expression of FSB-based CPUs (K8s are based on the HTT Clock, remember, which is not the same as a FSB), Intel will have its equivalent to AMD's S939.
Total Comments 2
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In all fairness Socket T (LGA775) was released mid-2004 and remains the base of Intel's offerings. If any socket were to qualify as classic it would be T, not 939.
I don't think that the word classic really means anything in the computer world, though. The frenetic pace set by Moore's law has allowed the computer industry to revolutionize itself almost yearly, but the cost is obsolescence on a scale that has never been seen. A Countach or a Cobra remains a performance machine and can still kick the crap out of many modern cars that are considered high end. A Pentium Pro, however, which offered revolutionary advances such as the introduction of out-of-order execution to the desktop, was an outstanding example of technology when it was introduced in the mid nineties. It is no longer worth the silicon it's made from. Moore's law will end someday, but until then the exponential growth of the computer industry will prevent it from producing anything that can truly be called a classic. |
Posted 06-26-08 at 10:27 AM by rabidgnome229
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I'm afraid it's not an apples-to-apples comparison you're making with just the sockets when it comes to S939 and LGA775.
Consider this: While the first LGA775 motherboards have physically the same socket design for the CPU, they are not identical to today's LGA775s. LGA775 P4s will not run on today's LGA775 motherboards; similarly, today's Core 2 CPUs will not run on the first-generation LGA775 motherboards. The electrical requirements for NetBurst and Core 2 are vastly different. Only the physical interface is the same. And that's not even reckoning with the chipset compatibility fun, either...  In contrast, S939 as a total platform (CPUs, motherboards, chipsets) ensures an almost perfect and universal compatibility profile. Most of the earliest S939 motherboards and chipsets will run the latest S939 CPUs. The lone exception that I can think of is the combination of nVidia's nForce3, Vista, and a S939 dual-core. And that's nVidia's fault for not extending nF3 support for dual-core CPUs in Vista. Thanks for your comment, though.  It is much appreciated. |
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Posted 06-26-08 at 05:08 PM by txtmstrjoe
Updated 06-26-08 at 09:55 PM by txtmstrjoe |
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