MIPS

1. unit, benchmark Million instructions per second.

The unit commonly used to give the rate at which a processor

executes instructions.

Often rendered by hackers as "Meaningless Indication of

Processor Speed" or in other unflattering ways. This

expresses a nearly universal attitude about the value of most

benchmark claims, said attitude being one of the great

cultural divides between hackers and marketroids.

The etymologically incorrect singular "1 MIP" is sometimes

heard.

See also KIPS and GIPS.

2. VAX MIPS.

3. processor Microprocessor without Interlocked PipelineStages.

4. company MIPS Technologies, Inc.

[Jargon File]

(1996-03-01)