computer science

SGI Crimson

SGI Crimson is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand SGI Crimson rather than just read about it. In short: The IRIS Crimson (code-named Diehard2) is a Silicon Graphics (SGI) computer released in 1992. It was SGI's first 64-bit product released to market, as well as one of the earliest 64-bit workstation and UNIX servers available.

Key takeaways

SGI Crimson belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect SGI Crimson to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of SGI Crimson from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The IRIS Crimson (code-named Diehard2) is a Silicon Graphics (SGI) computer released in 1992. It was SGI's first 64-bit product released to market, as well as one of the earliest 64-bit workstation and UNIX servers available. The Crimson is a member of Silicon Graphics's SGI IRIS 4D series of deskside systems; it is also known as the 4D/510 workstation. It is similar to the Power Series workstations, sharing the same deskside chassis. It can use a wide range of graphics options (up to RealityEngine). It was also available special order as a file server with no graphics. This machine makes a brief appearance in the movie Jurassic Park (1993) where Lex uses the machine to navigate the IRIX filesystem in 3D using the application fsn to restore power to the compound. The next year, Silicon Graphics released a rebadged, limited-edition Crimson R4400/VGXT called the Jurassic Classic, with a special logo and SGI co-founder James H. Clark's signature on the drive door.

Features One MIPS 100 MHz R4000 or 150 MHz R4400 processor Choice of seven high-performance 3D graphics subsystems (Entry, XS, XS24, Elan, Extreme, Reality Engine, VGXT) Up to 256 MB memory and internal disk capacity of up to 7.2 GB, expandable to more than 72 GB using additional enclosures I/O subsystem includes four VMEbus expansion slots, Ethernet and two SCSI channels with disk striping support Crimson memory is unique to this model.

References

External links IRIS Crimson

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with SGI Crimson

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what SGI Crimson claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to SGI Crimson before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about SGI Crimson ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of SGI Crimson

In research: SGI Crimson appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses SGI Crimson in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: SGI Crimson is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 64-bit computers, Computer-related introductions in 1992, Computer hardware stubs, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for SGI Crimson outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study SGI Crimson in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what SGI Crimson means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain SGI Crimson out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is SGI Crimson in simple terms?

Why does SGI Crimson matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study SGI Crimson?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on SGI Crimson.