I came across this article, Are Intel And IBM Cheating With Their Quad-Core Processors?

...some readers where quick to point out that IBM didn't have a "real" quad-core design for its processor.

but Nathan Brookwood has the right answer:

"This isn't a computer science project where the guy who does the more elegant design gets extra credit," Brookwood of Insight 64 says. "If the chip has four cores, you can say it's a quad-core design."

Now that we know what a quad core is, let's look a bit farther. IBM had a press release on 8/23, "IBM Delivers Enhanced Quad Core Systems" They claim to be "the first in the industry with four cores per socket"

"IBM has also updated its line of Quad Core systems -- the first in the industry with four cores per socket -- with the new 1.65GHz POWER5+ Quad Core Module, delivering tremendous performance density and value at prices on par with less capable commodity servers."

Was IBM the first?

The Register wrote:

"IBM claims that the module gives it "the first (systems) in the industry with four cores per socket," which is true to a degree. Big Blue has used the four-core module kludge since October of 2005. Sun, however, sells four-, six- and eight-core versions of its UltraSPARC T1 chips with all the cores on a single piece of silicon. Those systems, announced in November of 2005, play in the same Unix space as IBM's gear."

This press release dated 10/4/2005 shows their "first quad core" claim. "IBM Introduces Record Breaking Power5+ Computing System"

On Nov. 14, 2005 Sun Microsystems Introduces Breakthrough UltraSPARC T1 Processor with CoolThreads Technology

So they beat Sun by one month? Did they start shipping product that date or was the press release just early? Maybe Sun can claim to have the first eight cores per socket? Does it matter?

I think innovation is key and not just being first. Sun has been very innovative with the design of the UltraSPARC T1 as recognized by many including, 'Most Innovative Server' Awarded to the Sun Fire T2000 Server.

Pushing the innovative envelope even further as well as truly a first, is the open sourcing of the UltraSPARC T1 design. The OpenSPARC T1, is a 64 bit, 32 threaded processor design available at no charge. Sun provided the entire RTL description of the processor design under the GNU General Public License (GPL). Now you can see for yourself how the chip multi-threading (CMT) technology unique to the UltraSPARC T1 works.

So go forth and innovate.... (also let see who follows :)

[ T: OpenSPARC ]