Integer Test 4: Application Initiation Times for IRIX 6.5 and IRIX 6.2

SGI Performance Comparisons

Application Initiation Times for IRIX 6.5 and IRIX 6.2

Last Change: 08/May/2008

These tests measure how long it takes to fully bring up an application after one has double-clicked on its icon, to the nearest half-second.

IRIX 6.5:

                                          Manage
                                        Installed
                           Activating    Software     Activating
                            Netscape      (swmgr)     CosmoCreate

Fuel R16000SC/700 4MB L2:      1.0          N/A          0.5         [hinv]
O2 R12000SC/400 2MB L2:        1.5          0.5          1.5
Indigo2 R10000/195 1MB L2:     3.5          2.0
Indigo2 R10000/175 1MB L2:     4.0          2.5          
O2 R5200SC/300 1MB L2:         4.5          3.0                      [hinv]
O2 R5000SC/200 1MB L2:         5.0          3.5          5.0
Indigo2 R4400SC/250:           5.0          4.0          5.0
Indy R5000SC/180:              6.5          6.5                      [hinv]
Indy R4400SC/200:              8.0          7.0
Indy R4600SC/133:              9.0          7.5
Indy R5000PC/150:              9.5          8.5                      [hinv]
Indy R4600PC/133:             14.5         13.5
Indy R4600PC/100:             15.0         14.0

 Table 7: Application Initiation Times for IRIX 6.5

Here is the same information for IRIX 6.2. Note the differences (obviously, one cannot compare to O2 since O2 does not use 6.2):

                                    Manage
                                   Installed
                     Activating    Software     Activating     Activating
                      Netscape      (swmgr)     CosmoCode      CosmoCreate

Indigo2 R4400SC/250:     4.0          3.5 
Indy R4400SC/200:        5.0          5.5 
Indy R4600PC/133:        9.5         11.0         11.0            12.0
Indy R4600PC/100:       11.0         12.0 

 Table 7b: Application Initiation Times for IRIX 6.2

There is a noticable decrease in speed when moving to IRIX 6.5 for older systems such as Indy. Newer systems are less affected.

Now for applications that also include a degree of floating-point/graphics processing:

                                 Activating         Activating
                                 CosmoWorlds        CosmoWorlds
                                                  with tunnels.wrl

Fuel R16000SC/700 4MB L2:            1.5                1.5         [hinv]
Indigo2 R10000SC 175MHz 1MB L2:      5.0                7.0
O2 R5000SC 200MHz 1MB L2:            7.0                8.0
Indigo2 R4400SC 250MHz 2MB L2:       9.0               12.0
Indigo2 R4400SC 200MHz 1MB L2:      11.0               13.0
Indy R4400SC 200MHz 1MB L2:         
Indy R4600SC 133MHz 512K L2:        
Indy R4600PC 133MHz:                19.0               23.5
Indy R4600PC 100MHz:       

 Table 7c: Further Application Initiation Times for IRIX 6.5

tunnels.wrl is a very simple VRML model I made long ago. It consists of a number of brick-textured tubes, twisted around each other.