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    Andreas_Wolf
    Posts: 12058 from 2003/5/22
    From: Germany
    > Linux PPC Kernels since 2.x officially fully supports Cell.

    It fully supports the Cell PPE but merely supports the SPEs, as in not going beyond initializing them for apps to use them. The Linux kernel doesn't make real use of the SPEs, I bet.

    > that is what he wrote.

    He wrote about using "the full potential", which on Cell implies leveraging the SPEs, not just the PPE.

    > Cell is PPC ISA compilant (and PPC64 my bad) as general CPU, not slower
    > then G4 I believe at higher clocks.

    You were already given a link to a Cell PPE vs. G4 performance comparison there:

    https://morph.zone/modules/newbb_plus/viewtopic.php?forum=11&topic_id=9787&start=5

    > you dismiss complex next gen CPU

    The Cell is yesterday's gen CPU. And looking at Sony/Toshiba/IBM's current stance on Cell they seem to hold the same opinion.

    > just because its not fully utilized.

    It's not about whether it *is* fully utilized but more about whether it *can be* fully utilized and for which tasks exactly (in a desktop computing context) and whether it would be feasible and worthwhile to undertake this huge programming effort given that unlike AltiVec/VMX, Cell SPE code is neither reusable on other platforms (only Cell has the SPEs) nor future-proof (development of the Cell has been abandoned and Cell production will most likely cease as soon as PS3 production halts).

    > PS3 is limited only in RAM.

    I think it has been established in this thread that the PS3 would be of limited use for MorphOS in more ways than just the amount of RAM. You will most likely continue to be ignorant of this, though.

    > If only PPC64 part is used, Cell is slower then G5

    True.

    > faster then G5.

    False, and also contradicting what you just wrote some words before.

    > just nVIA GPU. And there is already an emulator, but having at least same
    > CPU could make just other components emulated.
    > http://playstation3emulator.net/

    Yes, this could work, but you'd need a faster Cell (i.e. higher clocked) than what's in the PS3 to make up for the virtualization overhead.

    > using both Altivec based PPEs and GPU magnificent visual effects could be achieved
    > without slowing down the system.

    This wouldn't be "cell only ports" anymore, which is what you were talking about at this point.

    > GIMP, Libre and Blender should be ported to MorphOS, if they arent.

    Blender is on MorphOS since 2005. Regarding LibreOffice, there's been an effort last year, but I don't know its status:

    https://morph.zone/modules/newbb_plus/viewtopic.php?topic_id=9060&forum=3
    https://morph.zone/modules/newbb_plus/viewtopic.php?topic_id=9163&forum=9

    > beside Freescale, IBM is our last PPC friend.

    Outside of the server-oriented POWER series, IBM seems to become unfaithful to PPC:

    https://morph.zone/modules/newbb_plus/viewtopic.php?forum=3&topic_id=7675&start=490

    > If this is not attractive enough

    If *what* is not attractive enough?

    > think of Power7

    POWER7 as a potential platform for MorphOS is certainly very unattractive in terms of both power consumption and price.
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