Washington Apple Pi Mac Bench Pro: Wall of Macs

© 1998 Lawrence I. Charters (writing as Washington Apple Pi Labs)

Washington Apple Pi Journal, Vol. 21, no. 1, January-February 1999, pp. 65-67.

A year ago, Washington Apple Pi stunned the world with the introduction of the Washington Apple Pi Mac Bench System.† In the world of computer benchmarks, WAPMBS was “a definite mouthful,” according to several anonymous authorities. When comparing it to the then-reigning champion Macintosh benchmarking package, Ziff-Davis’ MacBench 4.0, many of these same authorities called it “incomparable.”

The amazing Washington Apple Pi Mac Bench System Pro, known affectionately as the "Wall of Macs." Many Pi visitors, when first encountering this impressive feat of engineering, have fled. Sad to say, even at the dawn of a new century, some people just can't accept radically linear technological advances.
The amazing Washington Apple Pi Mac Bench System Pro, known affectionately as the “Wall of Macs.” Many Pi visitors, when first encountering this impressive feat of engineering, have fled. Sad to say, even at the dawn of a new century, some people just can’t accept radically linear technological advances.

In the fall of 1998, Ziff-Davis released, too little, too late, MacBench 5.0, a foredoomed effort to catch up with WAPMBS. Foredoomed because Washington Apple Pi had already released Washington Apple Pi Mac Bench System Pro, the “Wall of Macs.” We just forgot to tell anybody about it.

The awesome Cubemac suite is an unbelievable demonstration of parallel processing. Formed from 24 "Compact Mac" computers (an eclectic mixture of Mac 512, Mac Plus, Mac SE and Mac SE/30 machines), the Cubemac features an awesome 12,228 x 8,208 "mosaic" display, 48 serial ports, and 24 channels of monaural sound. Controlling all this is a unique operating system using NeXT "overposter" architecture that gives it the collective power of, say, a Quadra 800. Note the external cooling fan. One unprecedented capability is "auto-expansion;" a week after this photo was taken, the Cubemac had added most of another row of processors.
The awesome Cubemac suite is an unbelievable demonstration of parallel processing. Formed from 24 “Compact Mac” computers (an eclectic mixture of Mac 512, Mac Plus, Mac SE and Mac SE/30 machines), the Cubemac features an awesome 12,228 x 8,208 “mosaic” display, 48 serial ports, and 24 channels of monaural sound. Controlling all this is a unique operating system using NeXT “overposter” architecture that gives it the collective power of, say, a Quadra 800. Note the external cooling fan. One unprecedented capability is “auto-expansion;” a week after this photo was taken, the Cubemac had added most of another row of processors.

WAPMBS Pro was inspired by a comment from Linus Torvalds, the creator of Linux. Microsoft Corporation, annoyed with the success of Linux (a UNIX work-alike with versions for Macs, PCs and even UNIX workstations), has been telling corporations to ignore Linux. In Microsoft’s view, Linux was “created by hobbyists” and was “strictly for hobbyists,” without the professional touches of Microsoft’s products. Torvald’s response: “If it’s a hobby for us and a job for you, then why are you doing such a shoddy job?”

(Actually, neither Linux nor Microsoft had a thing to do with WAPMBS Pro. We just thought it was a great quote.)

This impressive suite is another test of parallel processing. Harnessing the power of 32 Apple IIGS computers, the Tower of Apples is used to detect local geological faults. If any are found, the entire mass topples over.
This impressive suite is another test of parallel processing. Harnessing the power of 32 Apple IIGS computers, the Tower of Apples is used to detect local geological faults. If any are found, the entire mass topples over.

After collecting some rare components (long wooden boards, to be exact), the Washington Apple Pi Mac Bench System Pro made its debut in the summer of 1998. Stretching down the main hallway of the Pi’s office suite in Rockville, Maryland, WAPMBS Pro vastly exceeds the scope, depth, and utility of any competitors. Compared to previous Washington Apple Pi Mac Bench Systems, WAPMBS Pro has a far vaster capacity, conservatively rated in dozens of CPUs and multiple tons. We are unaware of any other computer system that even attempts to rate itself in “tons.”

Always eager to test new computer storage options, Washington Apple Pi Labs constructed this unique disk array. We are pleased to report that virtually any new computer storage device purchased today will be faster, easier to use, and have a higher storage capacity than our array. But ours has more blinky lights.
Always eager to test new computer storage options, Washington Apple Pi Labs constructed this unique disk array. We are pleased to report that virtually any new computer storage device purchased today will be faster, easier to use, and have a higher storage capacity than our array. But ours has more blinky lights.

In its current configuration, the Pro version of our Mac Bench is a multi-processor unit capable of simultaneously holding literally thousands of Apple II and Macintosh programs. We don’t mean just the software, either: it will hold the diskettes (3.5″ or 5″) and the documentation, too. In fact, it also has a demonstrated capacity to carry hundreds of computer magazines, Zip cartridges, Bernoulli cartridges, data cassettes and various bits of computer technology we can’t immediately identify. As the Pi Office Manager, speaking anonymously, put it, “There’s all kinds of __ on it.”

After almost a decade with relatively little progress, computer displays are finally showing some progress, with new designs for traditional video monitors as well as outstanding progress in creating inexpensive "flat-panel" displays. We'd trade our entire video test facility for some of these new displays…
After almost a decade with relatively little progress, computer displays are finally showing some progress, with new designs for traditional video monitors as well as outstanding progress in creating inexpensive “flat-panel” displays. We’d trade our entire video test facility for some of these new displays…

Our Pro version Mac Bench can also be expanded, almost without limit. The current three-tier configuration could easily reach six tiers before hitting the roof of the hallway. Linear expansion possibilities are even greater. Without much effort at all (but with a lot more lumber), the current thirty-foot system could wrap around the walls of the entire Washington Apple Pi office suite. Again speaking anonymously, the Pi Office Manager said, “Don’t even think of it.”

Going faster, farther and cheaper, however, are what Washington Apple Pi’s entire Mac Bench program is all about. While Ziff-Davis contents itself with dinky little CD-ROMs holding their MacBench program, we are building Mac Bench systems of ever-growing capacity.

Washington Apple Pi Labs has the only vertical printer test facility in the world. Prior to Senator John Glenn's shuttle flight, we proved that a twelve-year-old ImageWriter II would work in this position. NASA, for unexplained reasons, didn't seem to care.
Washington Apple Pi Labs has the only vertical printer test facility in the world. Prior to Senator John Glenn’s shuttle flight, we proved that a twelve-year-old ImageWriter II would work in this position. NASA, for unexplained reasons, didn’t seem to care.

And ever growing variety, too. The Mac Bench system has evolved from our original concept of a year ago to an entire suite of systems. New additions include:

  • The Cubemac: a unique parallel processing effort composed of 24 “compact Mac” computers, representing an original investment of at least $70,000. Fortunately for Washington Apple Pi, all the components were donated;
  • Tower of Apples: using 32 Apple IIGS computers, this suite is used in geologic research for detecting local faults;
  • Disk Array: several years ago, researchers at UC Berkeley invented the RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Drives) as an alternative to expensive high-capacity computer storage systems. The Pi has created its own disk array that is orders of magnitude cheaper;
  • Video test suite: with enough monitors to give a Confederate sailor the chills, the Pi’s video test suite transcends the entire history of personal computing;
  • Printer test suite: while the rest of the world chases the false prophets of laser printing, the Pi has explored the world of dot matrix printers, and created the world’s first matrix of dot matrix printers. Not that the world seems to care…
  • Everything, of course, is fully Y2K compliant. Even the components that are 20 years old.

We’d trade it all in an instant, of course, for a couple dozen brand-new iMacs or Power Mac G3 desktops.

To be quite honest, we have no idea what this is, or what it can be used for. We were afraid to get a closer look.
To be quite honest, we have no idea what this is, or what it can be used for. We were afraid to get a closer look.

“And what do you do with this hard disk drive?”

“That? That’s a doorstop.”

It may look like a SuperMac hard drive, but it is really a cleverly disguised, very effective door stop.

† “Introducing: Washington Apple Pi Mac Bench,” Washington Apple Pi Journal, January/February 1998, pp. 25-26.