Convex Computer: Difference between revisions

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{{short description|American computer manufacturer}}

{{Original research|date=November 2010}}

{{Infobox company

| name = Convex Computer Corporation

'''Convex Computer Corporation''' was a company that developed, manufactured and marketed [[Vector processor|vector]] [[minisupercomputer]]s and [[supercomputer]]s for small-to-medium-sized businesses. Their later '''Exemplar''' series of [[parallel computing]] machines were based on the [[Hewlett-Packard]] (HP) [[PA-RISC]] microprocessors, and in 1995, HP bought the company. Exemplar machines were offered for sale by HP for some time, and Exemplar technology was used in HP's '''V-Class''' machines.

| logo = File:Convex Computer logo.svg

| type = [[Private company|Private]]

| industry = Supercomputers

| founded = {{Start date and age|1982}} in [[Richardson, Texas]]

| founder = {{ubl|Bob Paluck|[[Steve Wallach]]}}

| defunct = {{End date|1995}}

| fate = Acquired by [[Hewlett-Packard]]

| key_people =

| products =

| num_employees =

| num_employees_year = <!-- Year of num_employees data (if known) -->

}}

'''Convex Computer Corporation''' was a company that developed, manufactured and marketed [[Vector processor|vector]] [[minisupercomputer]]s and [[supercomputer]]s for small-to-medium-sized businesses. Their later '''Exemplar''' series of [[parallel computing]] machines were based on the [[Hewlett-Packard]] (HP) [[PA-RISC]] microprocessors[[microprocessor]]s, and in 1995, HP bought the company. Exemplar machines were offered for sale by HP for some time, and Exemplar technology was used in HP's '''V-Class''' machines.

==History==

Convex was formed in 1982 by Bob Paluck and [[Steve Wallach]] in [[Richardson, Texas]]. It was originally named '''Parsec''' and early prototype and production boards bear that name. They planned on producing a machine very similar in architecture to the [[Cray Research]] [[vector processor]] machines, with a somewhat lower performance, but with a much better [[price/performanceprice–performance ratio]]. In order to lower costs, the Convex designs were not as technologically aggressive as Cray's, and were based on more mainstream chip technology, attempting to make up for the loss in performance in other ways.

[[File:Convex C-1 (1985) - Computer History Museum (2007-11-10 22.58.44 by Carlo Nardone).jpg|thumb|165px|Convex C-1 (1985)]]

Their first machine was the '''C1''', released in 1985. The C1 was very similar to the [[Cray-1]] in general design, but its [[CPU]] and main memory was implemented with slower but less expensive [[CMOS]] technology. They offset this by increasing the capabilities of the vector units, including doubling the vector registers' length to 128 [[64-bit]] elements each.<ref>{{cite web | date=Fall 1996 |page=8| first= David A. |last=Patterson | title = Lecture 6: Vector Processing | url = http://www.eecs.berkeley.edu/~pattrsn/252F96/Lecture06.pdf | accessdateaccess-date = 2011-04-29 | authorlinkauthor-link = David Patterson (scientist)}}</ref> It also used [[virtual memory]] as opposed to the static memory system of the Cray machines, which improved programming. It was generally rated at 20 [[MFLOPS]] peak for double precision (64-bit), and 40 MFLOPS peak for single precision ([[32-bit]]), about one fifth the normal speed of the Cray-1. They also invested heavily in advanced automatic vectorizing [[compiler]]s in order to gain performance when existing programs were ported to their systems. The machines ran a [[Berkeley Software Distribution|BSD]] version of [[Unix]] known initially as '''Convex Unix''' then later as '''ConvexOS''' due to trademark and licensing issues. ConvexOS has DEC [[VAX/VMSOpenVMS|VMS]] compatibility features, known by the product name of COVUE (CONVEX-to-VAX User Environment),<ref name="convex_covue">{{ cite book | url=https://classic.technology/convex-covue/ | title=COVUE Product Overview | publisher=Convex Computer Corporation | date=1990 | access-date=12 May 2024 }}</ref> as well as Cray Fortran features. Their Fortran compiler went on to be licensed to other computers such as [[Ardent Computer]] and Stellar (and merged Stardent).

[[File:BSC-Convex-240.JPG|right|thumb|250px|Convex 240 supercomputer (1988))]]

The '''C2''' was a crossbar-interconnected [[multiprocessor]] version of the C1, with up to four CPUs, released in 1988. It used newer 20,000-gate CMOS and 10,000-gate [[emitter-coupled logic]] (ECL) gate arrays for a boost in clock speed from 10&nbsp;MHz to 25&nbsp;MHz, and rated at 50 MFLOPS peak for double precision per CPU (100 MFLOPS peak for single precision). It was Convex's most successful product.

The '''C2''' was followed by the '''C3''' in 1991, being essentially similar to the C2 but with a faster clock and support for up to eight CPUs implemented with low-density GaAs FPGAs. Various configurations of the C3 were offered, with 50 to 240 MFLOPS per CPU. However, the C3 and the Convex business model were overtaken by changes in the computer industry. The arrival of [[RISC]] microprocessors meant that it was no longer possible to develop cost-effective high-performance computing as a standalone small low-volume company. While the C3 was delivered late, which resulted in lost sales, it was still not going to be able to compete with commodity high-performance computing in the long run.

Another speed boost used in the '''C3''' and '''C4''', which moved the hardware implementation to [[Gallium arsenide|GaAs]]-based chips, following an evolution identical to that of the Cray machines, but the effort was too little, too late. Some considered the whole C4 program to be nothing more than chasing a business in decline.{{sayswho|date=July 2017}} By this time, even though Convex was the first vendor to ship a [[GaAs]] based product, they were losing money.

In 1994, Convex introduced an entirely new design, known as the '''Exemplar'''. Unlike the C-series vector computer, the Exemplar was a parallel-computing machine that used HP [[PA-7200]] microprocessors, connected together using [[Scalable Coherent Interconnect|SCI]]. First dubbed '''MPP''', these machines were later called '''SPP''' <ref>{{cite conference|first1=R. |last1=Cataneda|first2= Xiaodong |last2=Zhang|first3= J. M., Jr. |last3=Hoover|title=A comparative evaluation of hierarchical network architecture of the HP-Convex Exemplar|conference=IEEE International Conference on Computer Design|year= 1997|doi=10.1109/ICCD.1997.628877}}</ref> and '''Exemplar''' and sold under the '''SPP-1600''' moniker. The expectation was that a software programming model for parallel computing could draw in customers. But the type of customers Convex attracted believed in [[Fortran]] and brute force rather than sophisticated technology. The operating system also had terrible performance problems which could not easily be fixed. Eventually, Convex established a working partnership with HP's hardware and software divisions. Initially it was intended that the Exemplar would be [[binary-compatible]] with HP's [[HP-UX]] operating system but eventually it was decided to port HP-UX to the platform and sell the platform as standalone servers.

[[File:BSC-HP-V-Class.JPG|right|thumb|250px|HP V-Class computer.]]

In 1995, Hewlett-Packard bought Convex. HP sold Convex Exemplar machines under the '''S-Class''' (MP) and '''X-Class''' (CC-NUMA) titles, and later incorporated some of Exemplar's technology into the '''V-Class''' machine, which was released running the HP-UX 11.0 release instead of the SPP-UX version which was sold with the S- and X-Class products.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weissmann |first=Paul |date=2024 |title=OpenPA.net PA-RISC Book |url=https://www.openpa.net/print.html |access-date=2024-12-08}}</ref>

==Culture==

According to most former employees, Convex was a very fun place at which to work.{{citation needed|date=December 2013}} For some time, there were beer parties every Friday,{{citation needed|date=December 2013}} and an annual Convex Beach Party (where a truck load of sand would be dumped on the parking lot to simulate a beach in Richardson, Texas).{{citation needed|date=December 2013}} There was a fitness center and other recreational facilities on-site. Convex had a very clear and compelling mission statement: "The Fastest Computers Possible for Under $1M".

Convex had an unusually thorough{{citation needed|date=December 2013}} interview process, which, for technical positions, included a grilling by a group of engineers. The extensive interview process carried over to other departments as well, where the key people who would be working with the prospective employee each interviewed the candidate, then met in roundtable to discuss whether or not to hire.

Convex lasted longer than most [[minisupercomputer]] companies, and to celebrate this and more so to remind themselves of the difficulties of the market, Convex had a graveyard of former competitor companies on its property.<ref>{{cite web | first = Stephanie Anderson |last=Forest | title = Convex Wants To Be A Full Fledged Heavyweight|date=April 21, 1991|work=Businessweek | url = http://www.businessweek.com/stories/1991-04-21/convex-wants-to-be-a-full-fledged-heavyweight | accessdate = 2009-05-29}}</ref>

Ex-employees of Convex jokingly refer to themselves as ''ex-cons''. There is a [http://www.ex-convex.org mailing list] of Convex ex-employees, as well as frequent reunions.

==Famous People at Convex==

Some famous names in [[computing]] worked at Convex.

* Co-founder '''[[Steve Wallach]]''' is well known for his work at Data General, Convex, [[Convey Computer]] Corporation and other companies.

* '''Brian Berliner''' developer of the current [[Concurrent Versions System]] is an ExCon.

* '''[[Tom Christiansen]]''' of [[Perl]] fame worked at Convex in the Technical Assistance Center and then on a project called '''Convex Meta Series''', which was an attempt to create cheap [[Computer cluster|cluster computers]].

* '''[[Dan Connolly (computer scientist)|Dan Connolly]]''' of [[HTML]] and [[W3C]] fame worked at Convex on the documentation tools team.

* '''Ken Harward''', who became studio director at [[Ritual Entertainment]], also worked on documentation tools at Convex.

* '''Mark Lutz''' author of several [[Python (programming language)|Python programming language]] books, worked at Convex.

* '''Frank Marshall''' who led [[Cisco Systems]] to great success in the 1990s was VP of engineering at Convex during its peak years.

* '''[[Robert Tappan Morris|Robert Morris]]''', famous for both the [[Morris worm]] and as a founding partner of [[Y Combinator]], worked as a summer intern at Convex.

* '''Craig Warner''' is now an R&D Engineer at HP.

* '''Jon Gelsey''' is now CEO at Auth0.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://auth0.com/about | title=About IDaaS Provider Auth0 - the New Way to Solve Identity}}</ref>

==References==

<references />

==External links==

* [http://www.ex-convex.org/ Convex ex-employees website]

* {{cite web |last=Faught |first=Danny |url=http://www.tejasconsulting.com/newsletter/2003April-May.html |title=Convex is Dead, Long Live Convex |at=Feature Article |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030806052446/http://www.tejasconsulting.com/newsletter/2003April-May.html |archive-date=2003-08-06}}

{{Hewlett-Packard}}

[[Category:Hewlett-Packard1995 mergers and acquisitions]]

[[Category:American companies established in 1982]]

[[Category:American companies disestablished in 1995]]

[[Category:Companies based in Richardson, Texas]]

[[Category:Computer companies established in 1982]]

[[Category:Computer companies disestablished in 1995]]

[[Category:Defunct computer companies of the United States]]

[[Category:Defunct computer hardware companies]]

[[Category:Defunct computer systems companies]]

[[Category:Hewlett-Packard acquisitions]]

[[Category:Vector supercomputers]]

[[Category:Companies based in Richardson, Texas]]

[[Category:Hewlett-Packard acquisitions]]

[[Category:Defunct computer hardware companies]]