[rescue] Advice on Octanes

[Kurt Huhn]

On Wed, 24 Sep 2003 01:12:18 -0400
Dave McGuire wrote:

> On Tuesday, September 23, 2003, at 07:29 PM, Francisco Javier 
> Mesa-Martinez wrote:
> > FreeBSD sometimes, Linux others. Basically I have to run lots of
> > matlab and maple stuffs under linux, and FreeBSD just because I like
> > it more than
> > linux.
> >
> > For heavy duty markov solvers for example the P3 just leaves the 
> > Octane in
> > the dust.
> 
>    x86 assembler assists, possibly?
> 

I've actually seen something similar with Mathmatica (sp?).  The lead
developer here was very surprised to learn that, while a G4-800Mhz was
faster than a P3-1.13Ghz, it wasn't as fast as he thought it should be -
for matrix simulations.  Turns out, Mathmatica is not written to make
use of the Altivec units in the G4.  It will support the units in the
G5, but they'll only release that update when when the G5 systems start
shipping in "significant volume" and even then only by special request.

-- 
Kurt              "You're all bastards! MTV sucks! We hates you all!"
kurt at k-huhn.com                                -- Gollum