From: rhubbell <[email protected]> Reply-To: Discussion List for Yellow Dog Linux User Topics <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [ydl-gen] Linux yellow dog manual for dummies Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2010 11:42:35 -0800 (14:42 EST) Mailer: Mail-2.1
Hi Robert: In order to help you get a handle on the whole topic I went back to recover a prior submission I made to this list addressing the end-of-life for the Cell. In fairness, Warren Nagourney, another contributor to this list, mentioned it first. However, he did not provide a specific link or reference. As I don't sit well with mere unverified references I researched the subject matter in Ars Technica and discovered an interview with an IBM rep. which discussed the whole issue in detail. The gist of the article clearly states that although the Cell has been mothballed work is proceeding with a novel approach which integrates what has been learned through working with it. IBM is moving forward with has been described technically as Heterogeneous Multicore systems -- a basic overview of Multicore systems is found surprisingly here: http://www.fixstars.com/en/multicore/processors.html. The good news then is that development from IBM will proceed along the lines of something which acts or looks like the Toshiba SpursEngine or other Heterogeneous design. When development proceeds as it surely will, then will be the time to discover which version of Linux will run on it. There's a lot to be positive and excited about for persons interested in programming advanced architectures. The developments are more interesting as elements of previously diverse and competing architectures have become morphed into one which makes programming these new heterogeneous systems easier, not harder. Determining whether we will see something progressing along the lines of the Toshiba SpursEngine or Nvidia's Tesla design is hard to determine. IBM's vision means more powerful and capable systems way beyond those which exist currently and in the near future. A good head's up for Apple users is that Apple is much more likely to accept IBM's new direction in the effort to maintain Apple's edge as creative hardware and operating system par excellence. Although many here will wait and see what comes, a few will study what IBM does and act accordingly. I can guarantee, as a former Apple developer, that Apple pros are studying IBM's efforts and progress as well. On Thu, 24 Dec 2009 15:27:42 -0500 Derick Centeno wrote: > On Thu, 24 Dec 2009 10:09:48 +1100 > Robert Spykerman <[email protected]> wrote: > > > On Thu, Dec 24, 2009 at 2:23 AM, Derick Centeno <[email protected]> > > wrote: ...snip... > > > Be sure to use the YDL Board as a resource so that you "meet" > > > other PS3 users like yourself, as well as others who program > > > using YDL on various hardware systems. There's a lot a good > > > people there who can help you move forward a lot faster than you > > > going it solo. > > ... I hadn't heard that the CELL was end-of-lifed. I guess it's true. But any idea why? Who killed the Cell/BE? Toshiba owns the chip fab? Have they announced anything? I see the Zego vanished. What about the blades based on Cell/BE? Collectivism at work? Too much compute power for the citizen? -------- Forwarded Message -------- From: Derick Centeno <[email protected]> Reply-To: Discussion List for Yellow Dog Linux User Topics <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [ydl-gen] Linux yellow dog manual for dummies Date: Sun, 27 Dec 2009 11:23:53 -0500 I thought you, Rob and interested others would find this article interesting as it follows along the lines of what you stated earlier with some different details. First the article: http://arstechnica.com/hardware/news/2009/11/end-of-the-line-for-ibms-cell.ars You'll note that future development and computers (including laptops - Yippee!) will follow along an integrated or morphed design path which implements both AMD/Intel with Cell/PowerPC aspects of handling complex processing. This could well mean systems which look more like the system which is within the Toshiba Qosimo (referring to the Toshiba SpursEngine). I recall discussing details regarding how the Cell's technology was morphed into the SPEC engine with some astute people at the YDL Board awhile ago. IBM's decision therefore kills the Cell as Cell, but not what was derived by learning and working with it. It is interesting that this movement forward comprises methods previously exclusive to disparate architecture families (Intel v. PowerPC); everything running today will need to be rewritten for those newer systems as they will be unlike what has come before. This also means something rather challenging which I hinted at previously, the skills needed to program the new systems will require people familiar programming for PowerPC/Cell and Intel systems. A skill which remains rare and becoming rarer still. However those skills are transferable and advantageous in leaping forward into seriously working with this new hybrid. The new hybrid will be further advanced than the system within the Qosimo. As the hardware moving forward has changed so must Linux and commercial operating systems. YDL won't remain what it is; it will have to morph into something else to meet what is coming. That choice, if any is made, is up to Fixstars. I hope that they choose well so that they are right in the thick of it. The best to all... On Sat, 26 Dec 2009 12:46:22 -0800 Warren Nagourney <[email protected]> wrote: > That's very interesting, Rob. Were the apps compiled using the same > compilers (with the same degree of optimization) in both cases? Were > the time differences actual CPU time of just elapsed time? ... > ========= Refranes/Popular sayings: The Taino say:No hay mal que por bien no venga. There is no evil out of which good cannot blossom. _______________________________________________ yellowdog-general mailing list - [email protected] Unsuscribe info: http://lists.fixstars.com/mailman/listinfo/yellowdog-general HINT: to Google archives, try '<keywords> site:us.fixstars.com' ========= Refranes/Popular sayings: The Taino say:No hay mal que por bien no venga. There is no evil out of which good cannot blossom.
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