Why Not Normalized Weighted Geometric Mean?
Here the OPC project group departs company from the nearly universal practice in benchmarking of normalizing test results. SPECint92, PLBsurf93 and Xmark93, for example, are all normalized results based on a variety of “reference” systems. Since our weights were percentage of time and since the results from Viewperf are expressed in frames/sec, we were not obligated to normalize. Normalization introduces many issues of its own, starting with something as simple as how to select a reference system. We invite readers to select two different systems whose results are published in this newsletter and to use each one as the reference system. You will discover quickly that the normalized weighted geometric means change only in absolute magnitude. If the weighted geometric mean of System B is 10-percent higher than System A, for example, the normalized weighted geometric mean of System B will be 10-percent higher than System A, no matter what reference system you choose.
