Linux, RealSoft3D, and Cell processor

[David Coombes]

This topic has been raised a few times before (mostly by me!) but I thought this worth mentioning. It's been confirmed that Yellow Dog Linux v5. 0 will be available for the PlayStation 3 console. This version of Linux has been developed for Mercury's Cell Blades and incorporates both Cell optimizations and the Cell version of GCC. (Press release - http://www.terrasoftsolutions.com/news/2006/2006-10-17.shtml)   Is there RealSoft3D for PPC Linux available? If so this should run out of the box, but perhaps not too quickly for lack of Cell optimization. Is there any chance of a Cell optimized version? Using the closed-box architecture, you'd be able to target both Cell and RSX (the nVidia G70-like graphics processor in PS3) for very fast vector maths. Some of the speed-ups possible, especially for procedural methods like VSL, should be dramatic; an order of magnitude faster than a traditional PC. There'd also be the option for fast distributed rendering over the network via included Gigabit networking. The downside would be memory which may be quite restrictive (256 MB system RAM, and perhaps an extra 256 MB video RAM if you're using RSX to help).   I'd be really keen to see an optimized RS3D. For the graphics apps that will appear, POV is bound to find it's way and might give an idea of the speedups realworld-performance can manage. But I'd love to be able to work with RS much faster (especially editing) if that's possible!   David Coombes [EMAIL PROTECTED]   ...