[Info-vax] XP1000 Blowout

[Steven Schweda]

Jan-Erik Soderholm wrote:

> I currently use a :
>
>  > $ sh cpu
>  >
>  > System: xxxx, AlphaStation XP900 466 MHz
>
> as my hobbyist system.
> Apart from the obviouse difference between "466" and
> "500" MHz, is there any major difference that would
> make a change valuable ? They are both EV6, as far
> as I can see. Do they both use the same box ? Different
> speed of the memory subsystem (or I/O buses) ?

   My experience with a DS10/XP900 is nil, but other than the
difference in the case, bus slots, and so on, I thought that a
big difference between a DS10/XP900 and an XP1000 was the RMC.
My impression was that the DS10/XP900 was a serious
server/workstation (with an RMC), while the XP1000 was a
low-budget workstation (with no RMC).  Also, I suspect that
the DS10/XP900 has wwidmgr in its firmware, which the XP1000
lacks, hence no fibre, I believe.  And firmware updates
stopped on the XP1000 years before they did on the DS10/XP900.
Certainly, the Ebay pricing over recent years has suggested a
generally higher opinion of the DS10/XP900 than the XP1000.

   Having spent $500 (in 2005) for two XP1000 systems (missing
the front doors, floppy drives, disk drives, memory, graphics
cards), it's hard for me to get excited about paying $800 for
one (with a door but not much more stuff) now.

   On the bright side, I recently got a check for about $20 as
part of a DRAM-maker antitrust settlement on memory I bought
(for too much money) direct (retail) from Crucial for my first
XP1000.


glen herrmannsfeldt wrote:

> That doesn't sound like a good deal compared to the Integrity
> servers from last year for $100 each.  I believe mine has 10GB RAM
> and is somewhat faster than 500MHz.  Then again, some might want
> Alpha over Itanium.

   I paid more than $100 for mine, but, while faster, it's
also louder, and lacks audio support in VMS.  (Dosen't it?)


   Cheap XP1000 systems may have been the best VMS system
bargains five years ago, but the times, they are a-changin'.
I can't see any good reason to migrate from a DS10/XP900 to an
XP1000.