On Wed, 27 Apr 2016, e...@e-bbes.com wrote:
> > For that matter, by the same reasoning it should be doable (and quite
> > possibly easier) to build an FPGA Alpha. Is the Alpha architecture manual
> > ("SRM") online?
> Is there any demand for it, besides of being fun?
I would assert that there may well be. I could be wrong, but consider
these tidbits:
1. There are at least 3 commercial alpha emulators (Stromasys Charon, MSI
Avanti, and Alpha EmuVM). They seem to be staying in business.
2. I work with a lot of clients using Tru64. The current hardware support
companies are recycling parts off ebay. I believe this is the reason
you see way-to-high prices for categorically ancient Alphas. I saw
someone wanting nearly $1300 for an alphastation 4/266.
3. I know for a fact the US government and a few other folks are pretty
well stuck with using Alphas for "certain" things. If the vendor was
OK'd by the gubment, there might be some money to be made there, too.
4. If some guy in Poland (Lotharek) was able to make an FPGA box that
emulates more than 9 different platforms (albeit probably simpler ones)
for under $200, then making an FPGA alpha for anywhere near that cost
would certain raise some eyebrows of clients I'm dealing with. If it
would all fit in 1U, then so much the better.
-Swift
