Γùè PowerXplorer is a small application I wrote to test the PowerPC speed in native floating-point calculations. It draws the Mandelbrot set and lets you explore it by zooming in and out at will. The iterations may be increased (when thereΓÇÖs too much black in the image) or decreased.
Γùè PowerXplorer is a ΓÇ£fatΓÇ¥ application: it contains code for both the 680x0 processors and the new PowerPC chip. The 680x0 code requires at least a 68020 and a 68881 coprocessor; it doesnΓÇÖt run on a 68LC040 because that chip has no math coprocessor. PowerXplorer requires 256 colors (or grays) to display the images properly; with thousands or millions of colors the image is correct, but thereΓÇÖs no color animation.
ΓÇó Instructions
Γùè PowerXplorer can display the actual time required to compute an image if the Caps Lock key is down when drawing is over (or if you type cmd-D). All screen drawing and other toolbox calls are excluded from the total time shown so you can test a machineΓÇÖs speed without worrying about its video card or the 57 extensions in its System folder.
Γùè Two ΓÇ£testΓÇ¥ images can be invoked by typing cmd-T or cmd-Y. These images take much longer than the default set to draw, so the speed measurements are more accurate. Typical values for a Power Mac 6100/60 on a 640x480 screen are 2.04 seconds for the whole set and 22.83 seconds for the first test image. A Quadra should be about 7 to 10 times slower, whereas my Macintosh IIcx is about 100 times slower (39 minutes for the first test image). HereΓÇÖs a list of the timings I measured with version 1.0.1 in a 640x480 window (timings for the current version would be different):
Machine CPU/Speed Whole Set Test Img 1 Test Img 2
Macintosh IIcx 68030/16 188.26 2341.49 2166.91
Macintosh Quadra 700 68040/25 20.57 223.23 207.14
Power Mac 6100/60 601/60 2.04 22.83 21.10
Γùè PowerXplorer checks for keystrokes or mouse clicks after each chunk of the image, but not during the calculations; on slow machines you may have to wait for up to 30 or 40 seconds before a command (like cmd-Q for Quit) is acknowledged.
Γùè Comparing the speed of a 680x0 Mac to that of a Power Macintosh is no easy task, because their code comes from two separate compilers which may have different optimization capabilities. PowerXplorer 1.0.4 was entirely compiled with MetrowerksΓÇÖ Code Warrior 7, whose floating-point code optimization is now better than that of my other compilers.
Γùè SORRY - thereΓÇÖs almost no user interface in PowerXplorer because I never had the time to give it one.
ΓÇó Version history
Γùè 1.0.4 - Optimized 68K and PowerPC code with Code Warrior 7.
Γùè 1.0.3 - Optimized 68K and PowerPC code with Code Warrior 5.5, cooler online docs.
Γùè 1.0.2 - Added machine check, online docs and ported most of the code to Code Warrior.
Γùè 1.0.1 - The color palette now changes every time that PowerXplorer is launched.
Γùè 1.0 - First public release.
ΓÇó Distribution
◊ PowerXplorer is ©1994-95 Alessandro Levi Montalcini. It can be freely distributed as long as it is not modified and there’s no charge for it, but it may not be included in any commercial package without my consent.
Γùè You may find the latest version of all my shareware programs by anonymous ftp to ftp.alpcom.it, inside the /software/mac/LMontalcini directory. The complete ShareDisk package, which contains all my stuff and can be registered at a very low price, is also available there.
Γùè All online services and bulletin boards may make it available to their users at no charge other than the normal connection fees.
Γùè All non-profit user groups may distribute it at no charge.
Γùè All magazines may publish it on floppy disk without asking me first, as long as I get a copy of the issue containing my software.
Γùè All CD-ROM shareware collections and CD-ROM magazines may include it without my prior consent, as long as I get either a copy of the CD-ROM or an offer to buy the CD-ROM at a discounted price.
Γùè All redistribution companies such as Educorp may distribute it, as long as I get a copy of each media containing my software and a catalog of the companyΓÇÖs offerings (where applicable).
ΓÇó Disclaimer
Γùè PowerXplorer shouldnΓÇÖt cause any damage, but youΓÇÖre using it at your own risk. As an independent software developer, I can make no warranties whatsoever on it.
