[rescue] SMP on intel wasteful?

[Dave McGuire]

On June 25, Francisco Javier Mesa-Martinez wrote:
> The truth is that discussions like these are moot. Vector is hardly used
> anymore,

  Umm, what?  Do you not have much contact with the research community
or something?  There's a LOT of vector stuff going on in areas of
fluid mechnics and oil exploration, since (apparently) both of those
areas have a few problems that map very well to vector machines.

> and when it is usually specialized SIMD approaches are used in that
> field.

  Umm, WHAT?  Show me one vector machine that ISN'T a "specialized SIMD
approach".

> Granted each approach has its niche, clusters are better for
> non coupled data problems, whereas vector/SIMD machines are better for
> data parallel problems. Once you have specified your problem, then by al
> means chose the RIGHT tool to solve it, And let's stop this pissing
> contest, please.

  Each approach has its niche, sure...and both approaches ARE niches.
If they weren't, there'd be vector machines and clusters everywhere.

  The fact that big Linux clusters get a lot of press does not translate
to "vector is is hardly used anymore".

         -Dave

-- 
Dave McGuire                  "Needing a calculator indicates that
St. Petersburg, FL              your .emacs file is incomplete." -Joshua Boyd