3 ms·

Aka "Slice-wise" mode. The FP units were optional (the project I was on didn't need FP, so we didn't have them). IIRC slice-wise mode was only available via the

• rst 4y ago
  The distinction was slightly more subtle -- "slice-wise" was a storage mode for data in which a 32-bit float would be stored as one bit in the memory of 32 processors, so the "transposers" could be bypassed going in and out. It was supported by the Fortran compiler and by a microcode-like internal layer called "CMIS" (which was, I think, available to at least some customers -- I worked there). Code in other languages still used the FPUs, if available -- but they paid the "transpose in, transpose out" overhead on every operation.
  • chris_st 4y ago
    Thanks for the clarification -- interesting to know!