DEC wheeled out a representative from Cincom Systems to help it launch the new VAX 8974 and 8978 Sierrakillers (CI No 603) – and he said all the right things, most notably that while the 8978 delivered about 52 gross MIPS, about the same as an IBM 3090/400, about 85% of that represented usable MIPS where MVS/XA is so greedy that only about 60% of the Sierra MIPS are available to do any useful work.