R. C. Dowdeswell writes:
> 
> Well, since there has been a bit of recent interest in the TGA
> Xserver and its speed, I've put up a bleeding edge compiled X server
> on my web site.  It was actually compiled under 1.4_ALPHA (yes,
> I've been meaning to bump to a release version.) and I've been
> running a most of my tests under 1.3K.

Thanks!  Here are some numbers from my 166Mhz Multia, booted diskless.
I've compared the following:
NetBSD 1.3.3 + stock Xserver
   120 reps @  57.7834 msec (    17.3/sec): Copy 500x500 from window to window
  2000 reps @   4.6569 msec (   215.0/sec): 500x500 rectangle
    70 reps @  81.7023 msec (    12.2/sec): (xor) 500x500 rectangle
  5000 reps @   1.2423 msec (   805.0/sec): Fill 100x100 equivalent cmplx poly
160000 reps @   0.0403 msec ( 24800.0/sec): Char in 80-char image line (6x13)
300000 reps @   0.0221 msec ( 45300.0/sec): 10-pixel line segment

NetBSD 1.4 + stock Xserver
    32 reps @ 164.3807 msec (     6.1/sec): Copy 500x500 from window to window
    50 reps @ 122.5877 msec (     8.2/sec): 500x500 rectangle
     2 reps @ 3764.8863 msec (     0.3/sec): (xor) 500x500 rectangle
   200 reps @  42.6437 msec (    23.5/sec): Fill 100x100 equivalent cmplx poly
  2400 reps @   2.1210 msec (   471.0/sec): Char in 80-char image line (6x13)
  4000 reps @   1.2572 msec (   795.0/sec): 10-pixel line segment

NetBSD 1.4 + R. C. Dowdeswell's XalphaNetBSD
   800 reps @   8.8409 msec (   113.0/sec): Copy 500x500 from window to window
  2000 reps @   2.5193 msec (   397.0/sec): 500x500 rectangle
  1000 reps @   5.3003 msec (   189.0/sec): (xor) 500x500 rectangle
  8000 reps @   0.6773 msec (  1480.0/sec): Fill 100x100 equivalent cmplx poly
 56000 reps @   0.0946 msec ( 10600.0/sec): Char in 80-char image line (6x13)
100000 reps @   0.0514 msec ( 19500.0/sec): 10-pixel line segment

Boy, I wasn't kidding when I said X under 1.4 was slow compared to
1.3.3. :=)  Geez, 1.3.3 is 52 times faster at scrolling text, 40 times
faster at xor'ing, and 56 times faster at line segments.

I would test against -current (I believe there have been some improvements
to the TGA driver), but I don't have a new XalphaNetBSD, and the one from
May, 1999 reports: X: Keyboard device /dev/wskbd0: Device busy. (with
the kernel from snapshot-19991020)

Anyway, I know X is a low priority for NetBSD/alpha, but I think it is
unfortunate to lose so much speed between 1.3.3 and 1.4. (and maybe 1.4.2)
Even though the Multia is kind of a dog, it "used to be" a decent enough
X terminal.  I would hate to see NetBSD/alpha give up on it, especially
since FreeBSD/alpha doesn't appear to have much support for it either.

Unfortunately I don't have the skills to work on this.  If loaning my
Multia to someone would help, I would be glad to.  I am eyeing one of
those PC164's with a 500Mhz cpu though.. :-)

-Andrew
-- 
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Andrew Gillham                            | This space left blank
gillham@whirlpool.com                     | inadvertently.
I speak for myself, not for my employer.  | Contact the publisher.