Why is the runspec gone?

$Id$	Latest: www.spec.org/cpu2017/Docs/

Redirect, with explanation. (Short version)

For SPEC CPU2017, the runspec utility has been renamed runcpu

SPEC has many benchmarks, covering many areas; the term runcpu specifically designates the area being measured.

The documentation is in the SPEC CPU2017 User Guide, runcpu.html.

Redirect (Longer, with story of benchmark origins)

Once upon a time

Performance Wizards ran Dhrystone and Whetstone;
Measured Waarden Integration, and RIGGS calibration;
Ran Livermore Loops, and Prime Number Sieves;
Plus Jacobi, Gauss, and Tower of Hanoi.
Some systems were rated with VUPs and 
Some with megaflops guaranteed-not-to-exceed.

Meaning unclear

What source code did you use, did you modify it, did the benchmark get the correct answers, can customers reproduce what you did, has anyone reviewed your methods, and can I compare your results to others?

In 1989, SPEC was formed to fix the above, with:

Comparable scores.
check

Known source code.
check

Portable code.
check

Answer checking.
check

Reproducibility.

Derived from real applications.
check

Documented conditions of observation.
check

No "benchmark specials".
check

Written run rules.
check

Publication venue requiring peer review.

It is not difficult to remember this history because it keeps being repeated.
When you encounter a newly-invented benchmark, try the above checklist on it.

Time went by. SPEC made many new benchmarks.

The first SPECmark tested:	CPU, memory hierarchy, compiler
Other SPEC benchmarks test:	file servers, web servers, Java, graphics, virtualized systems, distributed systems, power, and more.

For over 20 years, it has been wildly ambiguous to speak of running "SPEC".

No such benchmark SPECyear

For over 20 years, to avoid ambiguity, it has been necessary to add the benchmarking area. Certainly, it is not enough to just add a year.
SPEC never released:	`spec2000`	`spec2006`	`spec2017`
These are:	`SPEC CPU2000`	`SPEC CPU2006`	`SPEC CPU2017`

Summary: If the command must be short and easy to type, 'runcpu' is a less ambiguous shortening.

Redirect, with musical non-explanation

q. Why is the runspec gone?
a. Yes, the runspec is gone.
q. Why is the runspec gone?
a. Yes, the runspec is gone.
q. Why is the runspec gone?
a. Reasons One, Two[youtube]

Please try runcpu