I have collected the publically known information that I know about about the upcoming Open Server Workstation from Genesi, and put it into this post. Please correct any faults!

This block diagram describes one stage in development. Note that things may change (or have changed already), other things was not yet decided at the time when the picture went online (the 1st of March):

http://www.ppczone.org/downloads/OSW_Block.pdf

As far as my untrained eye tells me ...:

It has two 970MP's (4x G5 PPC cores, 4x Altivec's, 8x FPU's, and 4x1MB L2 cache).

The total CPU clock frequency will be 5GHz BTW (4 cores of 1.25GHz each).

It has one PCI Express x16 directly in the northbridge (suitable for graphic cards when used as a desktop), as well as DDR2 controller and some control connections to temp management, system management, sensors etc.

Then there is a Hyper Transport interface to some south bridge, offering 2 Gigabit Ethernets, 2 SATA (Edit: 4 SATA), 4 USB, and three additional slots that can either be PCIe x4 or traditional PCI 32 (not yet decided), and an LPC bridge to a configuration (to be decided) of UART, RTC, FLASH, I2C, and AC97.

It will come in MicroBTX form factor (pretty much the same physical size as MicroATX, but everything is "mirrored backwards" and arranged differently):

"The BTX form factor is a clear break from previous ATX form factor layouts", that "gives developers better options to balance thermal management, acoustics, system performance, and size in the system form factors."

"Thermal improvements come primarily from taking advantage of in-line airflow. The BTX defined in-line airflow layout allows many of the main board components (i.e.: processor, chipset, and graphics controller) to utilize the same primary fan airflow, thereby reducing the need for, and noise from, additional system fans. In some cases this also allows fewer and/or less expensive heat sinks to be used when compared to ATX solutions. The system level acoustics are also improved by the reduced air turbulence within the in-line airflow system. The BTX layout supports better component placement for back panel I/O controllers – important as the signal speed of external devices continues to increase. In addition to smaller than microATX system sizes, BTX was designed to scale up to tower size systems using the same core layout by increasing the number of system slots included."

(http://www.formfactors.org)

Prices for a system will be either:

$0 for participants in the Open Server Workstation developer program (now open for applications)

~$799 for people wanting to upgrade by trading in their current ODW's

~$1500 (Edit: ~$1600) as the initial, normal end-user price (aiming for ~$1000 in time)

They are aiming for availability in June 2006 (hmm, let's see about that ... ) (Edit: Indeed it slipped (it always does, doesn't it! ) Now "September 2006 is the best guess", and personally I hope for "before Christmas 2006" )

[ Edited by takemehomegrandma on 2006/4/28 19:52 ]

[ Edited by takemehomegrandma on 2006/7/23 10:42 ]

I'm gonna get one of these (for Linux if for nothing else). But question is:

1) *How relevant* is this hardware for MorphOS (or indeed for *any* Amiga Operating System for that matter)?
2) *Can* MorphOS run on this hardware (even if only on one CPU core, which would still be more than enough)?
3) *Will* MorphOS run on this hardware ...?

wow..those are some great specs.. I wonder the same..if MOS will run on it..

This machine will be amazing under linux and if it will be supported by morphos, it will be the best amigamachine ever !!!!!!!!!!!!!
But in fact i think that Genesi and MorphosTeam members are not in accord for now, we all know the past....
I don't know if morphos team has any interest for Genesi new machines ..... as efika was a good card which will not be supported even it's twice more powerfull than a A1200PPC....
Ps3 will be interestinf also...but i know that some mos-team members(french) won't a multicore processor like Cell or g5 dual core so i think that there will be no mos for next gen PPC


[ Edited by acepeg on 2006/4/28 15:11 ]

It would be very nice if MOS would run on this hardware. I would trade my current ODW in for it in a second. I guess as we get closer to a real release date we will have more information, but as things go with MOS development we may not hear before the day its out and running on it.

I would prefer a better MorphOS version....

DJBase : I have the same opinion... I have a Pegasos for MorphOS... I don't need more speed if I don't have a new, better, faster, etc MorphOS.

The only thing that can push me to buy this machine is MorphOS, if MorphOS runs on it... but, I don't think it will happen. But, wait and see...

--
/me likes "..."

As I see the ODW as a graet computer in general, I suspect any benefit for MorphOS when using this maschine (now and within the narrower future).
We still do not have public Altive suport but are dreaming of SMP...

For MOS I'd be rather more glad to see an Efika port and a slight PegII improvement (7447A @ 1.4 Ghz). IMO the ODW is none of our business (seen from the MOS perspective).

For Linux it'll rock.

Maybe it's time to open a bounty for the MOS team to get one of these dreaming machine with the docs.

I dream to see again Lightwave and others 3D apps/games games as fast as they render on PC.

I still believe that MOS 1.5 would come soon with Altivec and much more

There is no bounty required. IIRC Laire and Frank are still involved in bplan. They have access to all this.
But MOS has much bigger probs than a lack of processor power (the 1ghz g4 is rarely a limiting factor with MOS, the limitations are elsewhere).

MOS needs some increasement in itself and software. The hardware is not the problem.Currently the Peg is all sufficient.

Hi Zylesea,

I think a little better browser which can render css based websites little bit better then what currently is the case would make MorphOS little more popular.

There is a lot of other software.

Quote:

I really hope that BBRV meant that there will be 2 x 2,5 GHz G5 MP under the hood. If the G5's are 1,25 GHz this thing will be really slow...

Quote:

I hope they have more luck with it than with the first Pegasos... but bplan showed us that they can develop/deliver such a thing.

Quote:

Yes. The 970MP is a *dual core* CPU (each CPU is actually 2 CPU's in one), and there are *two of them CPU's* on the motherboard. So in practice, it is like *FOUR* G5 CPU's on this motherboard, each with each own exclusive 1MB L2 Cache, Altivec unit, and two FPU units.

I don't think it will be "really slow" ...

Quote:

Sure, they have proven many times their ability of making great hardware (but have they *ever* met a deadline for announced new HW yet? )

Come to think of it, I believe I remember reading something a long time ago about this motherboard should actually be able to fit in a 1U rack chassis?

But that would be too good to be true, right? Not a hot, quad core G5 system, right ...?

Must say that 1500 USD seems as a really good price for this computer power. Just look at Apples powerMac. The cheapest cost 1999 USD and that has only one dual core at 2 GHz...

Of course I can't run Mac OS X but Linux should fly on this beast.

http://www.sun.com/servers/entry/x4100/gallery.jsp?img=6
This is how Sun cools their 1U quad core Opteron system.
Six double-fan modules! It's very nice, I tried the hotplugging feature myself.

Quote:

Ok lets put it this way: The G5 Quad Mac has 4 x 2,5 GHz Cores (2 x 2,5 GHz G5 MP Processors). So it would be clock wise Mac:10 GHz to OSW: 5 GHz if Genesi uses only 1,25 GHz G5's. You dont't want a Workstation that is outperformed by four 1,25 GHz MACminis want you? Yes i know that i can not compare computers like that, but it's only for demonstrational purposes. ;)

Quote:

Only two (or three) questions:

1) yes, there are lots of informations about this dual G5, but none has specified BUS Frequency.

How much is this G5 BUS frequency?

2)Could it run a SMP version of MorphOS on new Pegasos III dual G5?
Else it will be useless for me to spend 1500 US $ (1188 Euro exchange rate of today saturday 29), and I think it will be placed at ~max 1225-1250 Euro to match Apple costs.

3) Is almost possible a dual G4 1 GHz (or even clocked at 1,4 GHz) CPU module card, at a reasonable price to keep updated and alive Pegasos II for some years, starting from today?

It sure will allow me to keep alive my investment in Pegasos II for some next years, and a lot of poor people who made sacrifices to buy a Pegasos could use it for a while allowing running even of heavy software.

I want to let you all (Genesi, MorphOS team, other users), let you all know that:

I will buy a Morphos 1.5 version

Also I announce I will pay EVEN TWICE THE PRICE a SMP version of MorphOS for any new dual G4, or dual G5.

Sorry. Double post.

[ Edited by Raf_MegaByte on 2006/4/29 15:03 ]

@Raf_MegaByte
U're not alone
There are soooo many people (me included) that would be more than glad to pay to have the so-called MOS 1.5.

I knwo, useless post, but today it's a rainy day and I have some spare time to repeat my preferred tantric manta

...wewantmos1.5wewantmos1.5wewantmos1.5
wewantmos1.5wewantmos1.5wewantmos1.5
wewantmos1.5wewantmos1.5wewantmos1.5
wewantmos1.5wewantmos1.5wewantmos1.5
wewantmos1.5...


Dancing bananas



[edited morphosmantra(tm) as suggested]

[ Edited by maurensen on 2006/4/29 16:46 ]

@ Maurensen

Please edit your mantra and cut it into smaller pieces, because now it causes the HTML page to go outside the right side of the screen (at least on Amiga browsers).

Thank you.

Quote:

1. Apple usually uses 1/2 CPU Frequency for the FSB, think it will be similar here. The "problem" is they have now two cores on one bus...

2. If MorphOS Team decides to support it...yes. But don't hold your breath till MOS SMP for G5 is out, could be a risk for your health. ;)

After a quick look at the Apple Store a Quad G5 is Eur 3.299,01 so if Genesi can sell a whole system for 1500 euro Apple seems to have a huge margin on their PowerMacs. Ok add the biggest GFX board an you are in for a surprise.

Bye

Quote:

Yes you are right with this!

But i think this thread is about the OSW which will, like the Quad G5 PPC PowerMac have four cores in it. So it's the "Genesi Quad G5 OSW" that should be compared to a "Apple Quad G5 PowerMac" and not to a "stinking" dual. The processors in the diagram seem to be 2 x G5 MP, that means each processor has two cores in it. A "Dual" = 1 x G5 MP should be more cheaper to be "competive".

Bye

Nope "quad" Macs are double G5 QUAD CORE

Dual Macs are single or double G5 dual core.

At least if I intended well english technical words, and i don't make any mistake.

But I hope you understood what I intended to explain.