YDL+PS3+Nastran

[Derick Centeno]

On Tue, 26 Jun 2007 10:58:11 -0300
kalitea18 <kalitea18 at ig.com.br> wrote:

> Hello, 
> anyone now if it's possible to run the NX-Nastran on the PS3+YDL? If it´s 
> possible, it´s faster than a ordinary pc? 
> Thanks 
> 
> 
Hi Kalitea18!

It's a good idea to check what a company supports, according to their webpage
posted here:

http://www.predictiveengineering.com/solutions/products/nastran.html#techspecs

They are strictly a windows and Intel shop.  They do not produce open source
software which runs within Linux.  If you are interested in CAD software there
are many CAD and electronics software running within Linux running on Intel
systems.  Of those, a few, because they are open source and follow the GPL
license can be recompiled within YDL.

Regarding computing speed in comparison to standard pc's this is not an easy
comparison.  The PowerPC architecture emphasizes different design princples and
concepts implemented in unique ways which can be more efficient than processing
problems on Intel systems -- however, implementing these advances or features
from within source, either as user/programmers or as professionals varies
according to what one is intending to do and of course, one's programming skill
to implement it.

The above statement regarding PowerPC systems includes varieties of Power CPUs
including g3, g4 and g5.  The most forward looking PowerPC system is the Cell
which is within the PS3, which is a 9 core system; Intel is only 2.  Cell
Processing speeds on complex tasks, modeling macromolecules for example, have
been clocked at the 100's Teraflop level.  A standard pc cannot approach that.

So we are back to the essentials, what are you interested in doing?  

Having YDL 5 on the PS3 is a great software and hardware tool for professional
development exploring some of the most advanced and intricate problems
available if one is interested in such depth and scientific/math immersion.
Personally, I wish I had it. 

Read the advice and comments regarding it on the TSS site, and consider it as a
tool which most likely you will find challenging as a
programmer/mathematician/user -- in progress.  This is not a tool for everyone,
just like a samuari sword isn't for everyone either.  

However, if exploration and learning is your thing you'd have to pay a ton of
money to do much better than YDL 5 and PS3.  The issue really is how far and
deep is your curiousity for exploring current scientific/mathematical research
or exploring your own questions.  It may be more important to prepare and build
upon academics, math and programming skills first -- on any system.  Intricate
nuances and refined explorations can be postponed until later, but with the YDL
5 and PS3 the tools to work a question out are there now.  

That's my view.

Good Luck ...

========
The scientist's religious feeling takes the form of a
rapturous amazement at the harmony of natural law, which
reveals an intelligence of such superiority that, in
comparison with it, the highest intelligence of human beings
is an utterly insignificant reflection.  This feeling is the
guiding principle of his life and work. 
-- Albert Einstein, Scientist.