[ydl-gen] So, PS3

[Luke Scharf]

Bill Mueller wrote:
>> So, single-chip paradigm architectures... and you really don't see
>> the difference between these and the Cell? And it isn't that Linux
>> ...
>> Help and advise to take whatever stack they use on the old paradigm
>> machines and optimize them for this new paradigm. Ownershop or at
>> least encouragement of a community.
>>     
>
> paradigm overload.
>
> I still don't understand what you're saying at the level you are.
> I'm guessing compiler optimization?
>
> They are not impressive now, but same was said jumping from:
>   - 601 to 604e (split I/D cache, re-order buffer, branch prediction)
>   - g3/75x to g4/75xx (altevec/VMX, SIMD, SMP)
>   - g4 to g5/970 (64 bit, etc..)
>
> I'm not a Cell expert, but as I understand it the cell still has a
> Power core, but has the addition of several vector coproccessing units
> with a fast bus interconnecting them.
>   

I believe he means that using the whole chip (PPC cores, and SPUs) to 
their fullest is fundamentally different from using just a PowerPC-style 
CPU. 
If a compiler can automatically use the SPUs, I'll be very impressed.  
That sounds a lot like an automatically parallelizing compiler, and 
that's a Hard Problem(TM).  So, rethinking the programming model really 
is a Big Deal.

You seem to be arguing that you can ignore the SPUs and make the thing 
boot.  This is true, but my reading of the situation is that this has 
already been done, and the core folks are moving on to the bigger 
challenges of using this platform for scientific work.

Both are true -- but, as the guy who was complaining about the lack of 
the accelerated video hardware inadvertently pointed out, 
Linux-on-the-PS3-today seems best suited for experimenting with the Cell 
processor for scientific applications.  This is a small niche -- but an 
exciting one that keeps me employed, and it's a niche that can pull in a 
number of paying customers.  As more features and refinement are added 
(and the price of the PS3 drops), I expect to see Linux-on-the-PS3 being 
used for many other jobs.

But, these are just my personal opinions.  Those of my employer and of 
assorted other folks who matter may vary, as well!  :-)

-Luke

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