[rescue] SMP on intel wasteful?

[Francisco Javier Mesa-Martinez]

On Wed, 26 Jun 2002, Dave McGuire wrote:

> On June 26, Francisco Javier Mesa-Martinez wrote:
> > > >   The fact that big Linux clusters get a lot of press does not translate
> > > > to "vector is is hardly used anymore".
> > 
> > Well if you look at the 500 list for June 2002:
> > 
> > Vector machines = 41  (8.2%)
> > Scalar machines = 459 (91.8%)
> > 
> > If we do the same query for June 1993:
> > 
> > Vector = 332  (66.4%)
> > Scalar = 144  (26.6%)
> > Other  = 35   (7%)
> > 
> > .... enough said.
> 
>   Well, not quite enough said.  Looking at history you will find (and
> I'm sure you already know this) that vector processing was just about
> the only way to get really serious cost-is-no-object numeric
> performance out of a single processor until fairly recently (past 15
> years or so maybe?).  Since then scalar processors have become much
> MUCH faster, not meaning to state the obvious.
> 
>   These statistics reflect that as much as anything else in my opinion.
> Your opinion may differ, and I respect that, since (unlink
> Mr. Hedemark) everyone here already knows that you know what you're
> talking about! ;)


Note: Just to make clear.. I have nothing against vector machines. Hell I
even have a CRAY1 manual. Is just that I got the sad feeling that these
machines are a dying breed... maybe they are more prevalent in other
fields, but at least in my academic architecture research env they have
been pretty much written off. Of course now the lines are getting fuzzy
again, as modern processors include now "vector" (I would not really call
them that but that is what marketdroids like to call them) units. So at
least some lessons have been learned :-).

BTW. I am a SIMD man, because the world is SIMD. :-) So I am betting my
future on vector-like processors coming back in fashion!!!!

I guess it all comes down to how $%#%ing hard it is to compete against
micros with their economy of scale. I hate Intel's cludge of an
architecture.... but one has to be impressed at their fab/process research
and capabilities.