NOTE: these are new results as of 15/Jan/2001. Some time ago, I began collating new results for GIMP V1.0.4 instead of V1.0.2. This was because the newer version was significantly faster than V1.0.2; thus, I decided to abandon the older results, but not put up the new results until I had a large enough table. This process has now been completed, though I still have more tests to do. Do not compare the new results with the old - they are not comparable. The old results should now be ignored.

The tests are of two types:

• TYPE A: Simple operations on large images that take a long time to process, followed by what could be a long wait while the data is saved to disk (this could easily be 1/5th of the overall time).

• TYPE B: Complex operations on small images that take a long time to process, but do not require any significant after-processing disk I/O.

Note that these tests will not be listed as specifically integer or floating-point tests; rather, they will be grouped is image processing tests. This is because I have no way of knowing exactly what each test is doing in terms of int vs. fp calculations - this is especially true of the combinational scripts.

The results tables will include the disk type for each system when a TYPE A test is being described. For multi-CPU systems, only one CPU is used for these tests.

Results notes: the advantages of having a more modern system are clear: an Origin200 with a 180MHz R10K often beats an Indigo2 with a 195MHz R10K, ie. the Origin design gets more out of the chip technology. The benefits for rendering (eg. BMRT, PovRay, etc.) should be even greater (I hope to do some rendering benchmarks later in the year). However, the differences become less if a task is mostly integer processing, eg. the Origin is half way between I2 R10K/175 and R10K/195 for the Circuit test below, probably because that test is mostly integer processing, while the Lava test is likely a mix of int and fp.

Imaging Test 1 is TYPE A, as explained above.

The data file to be processed is the 48MB image file that comes with the O2 'roam' demonstration program, called 'sanFran4k.tif' (a large aerial photograph of San Fransisco, USA), but for the purposes of the test I convert the image to RGB format using imgworks. The test file is thus a 4096 by 4096 RGB image of size 50,332,160 bytes (ignoring the image file header, exactly 48MB).

Since TYPE A tests always involve big image files, it's important that a test system has a large amount of RAM. I always use at least 256MB RAM (128MB is definitely cutting it too close when working with 50MB+ images). Note this means that even an old Indigo could run such tests since Indigo can have up to 384MB RAM. A lot of RAM is required because of GIMP's UNDO buffers.

How to run the test: first download and install GIMP V1.0.4 if you don't already have it (NB: this test is using V1.0.4; the latest version - which was V1.2.0 the last time I checked - can be downloaded from the main GIMP site). You will also need to install at least GTK V1.0.6 in order to install this version of GIMP. Next, convert the sanFran4k.tif image to RGB using imgworks (get the file from the O2 demo CD, or borrowed from someone who has the demo installed). Then, load the image into GIMP; use the right mouse button to bring up the main menu and select 'Filters', followed by 'Distorts', and finally 'Ripple'. Get ready with your stop watch: click on OK and start the timing. When the operation has completely finished (the new image is fully redrawn on the screen, ie. one is able to bring up the right-button menu again), stop the timing. Be warned: this operation could take a very long time on a system such as a low-end Indy (perhaps 15 to 20 minutes), so be patient!

Test Results

                        Clock        Total Time     Disk
  System        CPU     Speed  L2     (mm:ss)       Ref

  Fuel        R16000SC   700   4MB     00:39         -    [hinv]
  Octane      R12000SC   400   2MB     01:13        12    [hinv]
  Onyx2       R10000SC   250   4MB     01:53         7    [hinv]
  O2          R12000SC   270   1MB     02:17        11    [hinv]
  Origin200   R10000SC   180   1MB     02:31         2    [hinv]
  Indigo2     R10000SC   195   1MB     02:49         9    [hinv]
  O2          R5200SC    300   1MB     03:05        10    [hinv]
  Indigo2     R10000SC   175   1MB     03:17         9    [hinv]
  O2          R5000SC    200   1MB     03:45         1    [hinv]
  O2          R5000SC    180   512K    04:32         1    [hinv]
  Indigo2     R4400SC    250   2MB     04:32         3    [hinv]
  Indy        R5000SC    180   512K    04:18        13    [hinv]
  Indy        R5000SC    150   512K    04:49        13    [hinv]
  Indy        R4400SC    200   1MB     05:34         4    [hinv]
  Indigo2     R4400SC    200   1MB     05:36         3    [hinv]
  Indy        R5000PC    150    -      05:48         6    [hinv]
  Indy        R4600SC    133   512K    07:01         4    [hinv]
  Indigo      R4400SC    150   1MB     07:29         8    [hinv]
  Indigo2     R4400SC    150   1MB     07:40         3    [hinv]
  Indy        R4600PC    133    -        ?           5
  Indy        R4600PC    100    -        ?           5
  Indigo2     R4000SC    100   1MB       ?
  Indy        R4000SC    100   1MB       ?
  Indigo      R4000SC    100   1MB     11:12         8    [hinv]

Disk types: 1. IBM DCHS04Y 3030 (4.5GB XFS)
            2. SEAGATE ST39173W SUN9.0G2815 (9GB XFS)
            3. 2 x IBM DNES-309170 SA30 (9.1GB XFS) (XFS system/data)
            4. IBM DNES-309170 SA30 (9.1GB XFS)
            5. IBM 0664 M1H 6E60 (XFS system), SEAGATE ST52160N 0344 (XFS data)
            6. SEAGATE ST51080N0950 (1.0GB XFS system), IBM DNES-309170 SA30 (9.1GB XFS data)
            7. IBM DGHS18Y 0190 (18GB XFS)
            8. QUANTUM XP34550SLXQ1 (4GB XFS)
            9. QUANTUM XP34300 S89C (4.5GB XFS)
           10. SEAGATE ST318275SLC 001 18GB XFS
           11. IBM DDRS-39130W 595D 9GB XFS
           12. SEAGATE ST39204 3234 (8GB XFS)
           13. SEAGATE ST32155N (2GB XFS)

        Table 37: GIMP V1.0.4 Image Processing Test No. 1
         Filters/Distorts/Ripple, 48MB 4K x 4K RGB image