ARM for the future?
  • Yokemate of Keyboards
    Yokemate of Keyboards
    takemehomegrandma
    Posts: 2720 from 2003/2/24
    Quote:


    Zylesea wrote:
    Quote:


    Andreas_Wolf schrieb:
    Yes, I doubt the prospect of "Denver" being anything other than a 64-bit design. I think my guess that "Denver" will be 64-bit is an educated one. Still, I doubt that the "bit-ness" is what "the current buzz" is about regarding "Denver".


    Precisely. The buzz is that Denver will (according to the announcement) have the *power* to challenge high end x86 and that MS will support this. The thing that it will probably be 64 bit is just a symptom, but not the reason.


    nVidia's Denver is one buzz.

    Microsoft supporting ARM is another buzz.

    Two separate buzz'es, little to do with each other, but that together put solid strength and momentum behind ARM's future evolution.

    In their Press Release (see link above), Microsoft clearly focus on SoC's; the high end Denver development of nVidia isn't even mentioned! Instead the focus is on Tegra, in stores since long time, along with CPU's from other manufacturers. SoC's is what MS are interested in. The very title of the PR is "Microsoft Announces Support of System on a Chip Architectures From Intel, AMD, and ARM for Next Version of Windows".

    ARM is mentioned as a company (the one owning and controlling the architecture that everyone is using under license), and then the examples of CPU manufacturers are mentioned in plural: "LAS VEGAS — Jan. 5, 2011 — Microsoft Corp. today announced at 2011 International CES that the next version of Windows will support System on a Chip (SoC) architectures, including ARM-based systems from partners NVIDIA Corp., Qualcomm Inc. and Texas Instruments Inc."

    I think this has been coming for a long time now. Even long before Windows 7 was released there were heavy rumors floating around that MS would release it for ARM as well. Even though they obviously waited, it seems there were some truth behind the rumors nevertheless; though they didn't release it, they kept it under development. That's why they can demonstrate it today on existing ARM machines:

    "At today’s announcement, Microsoft demonstrated the next version of Windows running on new SoC platforms from ... NVIDIA, Qualcomm and Texas Instruments on ARM architecture."

    So it *already* runs on current and existing ARM CPU's from more than one manufacturer, and not just in a simple "experimental boot-up proof of technology" or such, but *really* supported:

    "The technology demonstration included Windows client support across a range of scenarios, such as hardware-accelerated graphics and media playback, hardware-accelerated Web browsing with the latest Microsoft Internet Explorer, USB device support, printing and other features customers have come to expect from their computing experience. Microsoft Office running natively on ARM was also shown as a demonstration of the potential of Windows platform capabilities on ARM architecture."

    Heck, look for yourself in this cool video:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKc_XGuvNIk
    :-)

    Microsoft already has the high-end x86 desktop and workstation markets cornered, and that market isn't going anywhere. That's also where all the *existing applications* are. This isn't about that, it's about Microsoft has no access to the light-weight ultra mobile market, with low cost, powerful products that doesn't dry out the battery in very few hours. The Atom didn't do it. Microsoft has been standing by to see Apple release their iPad built around their own A4 ARM CPU, which has been enormously popular and dominated this holiday's sales. I have always said that the ARM would prove to scale upwards much easier than the x86 would scale downwards. Microsoft hasn't even been on the same race track, they have been locked out. Now this is about to change. Sure they will continue supporting new SoC developments Intel. But now also AMD and ARM, and I think there is a good reason for that, and a good decision! :-)
    MorphOS is Amiga done right! :-)
    MorphOS NG will be AROS done right! :-)
  • »12.01.11 - 10:18
    Profile
  • Yokemate of Keyboards
    Yokemate of Keyboards
    Andreas_Wolf
    Posts: 12058 from 2003/5/22
    From: Germany
    > I don't think anyone posting responses ever thought to consider that
    > a 64bit ARM processor would be a new development. They've just
    > grown so used to 64bit processors, that they expect all introductions
    > to have this feature by default.

    I don't concur. The fact that ARM to date is 32-bit only is widely known with most people having at least a slight interest in processor architectures. What I find most unfortunate on this matter is that even the tech media who actually did report on the 'ARM64' rumours back in November didn't attempt to connect the "Denver" announcement to those rumours. At least those tech media and their readers must be aware that 'ARM64' isn't there yet. I mean, tech journalism should be more than to just contentually copy press releases, all the more if all they'd have to do to give a better picture is to make a reference to an older report they did themselves. For whatever reason that didn't happen, so the alleged "buzz" regarding the prospect of "Denver" being 64-bit just wasn't (and isn't) there.

    > MorphZone is the only Amiga related forum I've seen
    > any postings related to this announcement on.

    http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthread.php?t=55984
    http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=57097
    http://moobunny.dreamhosters.com/cgi/mbthread.pl/amiga/expand/182053?page=2
    http://www.commodore-amiga.org/en/forum/5-commodore-amiga-hardware-wishlist-/795-nvidia-project-denver-cpu ;-)

    > I don't blame you for thinking that there no "buzz" on this topic, but I'm
    > surprised how much there has been on sites focused on Wintel platforms.

    I'm afraid now you're mixing up things. I've been only objecting to your use of the wording "the current buzz" with regards to "Denver" being 64-bit (as that's what you were referring to, quote: "the current buzz about this introduction is that it might be a 64bit processor"), not to the "Denver" announcement as such (which is the current buzz, no doubt about that). I thought I made this difference clear all the way. There just is no buzz whatsoever "on sites focused on Wintel platforms" about the question of "Denver" being 64-bit or not.
  • »12.01.11 - 10:53
    Profile
  • Yokemate of Keyboards
    Yokemate of Keyboards
    Andreas_Wolf
    Posts: 12058 from 2003/5/22
    From: Germany
    > Pegatron, the now spun off (?) development company of Asus

    3 months ago you didn't need the question mark ;-)

    https://morph.zone/modules/newbb_plus/viewtopic.php?topic_id=6918&forum=3&post_id=77258#77258
  • »12.01.11 - 11:02
    Profile
  • Yokemate of Keyboards
    Yokemate of Keyboards
    Andreas_Wolf
    Posts: 12058 from 2003/5/22
    From: Germany
    > the focus is on Tegra, in stores since long time

    To be more precise, the focus is on the ARMv7-A/Cortex-A based Tegra 2, which hadn't been in stores before September 2010 (the Toshiba AC100 being the first device using it AFAIK). The older, much weaker Tegra processors are based on ARMv6/ARM11.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nvidia_Tegra#Specifications

    About future Tegra chips:

    http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/21/nvidia-ceo-tegra-3-almost-done-tegra-4-on-the-way-expect-a-ne/
    http://www.netbooknews.com/9920/video-tegra-3-almost-complete-working-on-tegra-4-expect-a-new-tegra-every-year/
    http://www.semiaccurate.com/2010/08/12/tegra-3-tapes-out/

    On another note, I dug out a rumour from last August about an alleged future x86 compatible chip by nVidia:

    http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-08-13/nvidia-said-to-take-on-intel-in-tablet-computer-chips.html

    How would all that (future Tegra chips, "Denver", mystery x86 compatible chip) go together? The following article may have a speculative answer:

    "How is an ARM core related to x86? That is easy, Nvidia is going to use Transmeta-esque code morphing firmware to make the CPU run x86 code. [...] The take home message of this whole story is that Nvidia is building an x86 based on the next generation ARM core."
    http://www.semiaccurate.com/2010/08/17/details-emerge-about-nvidias-x86-cpu/

    Could that actually be what "Denver" is about, having an ARM ISA based chip that is able to morph x86 code into ARM code for 3rd party application compatibility?
  • »12.01.11 - 12:40
    Profile
  • Yokemate of Keyboards
    Yokemate of Keyboards
    takemehomegrandma
    Posts: 2720 from 2003/2/24
    "This new processor stems from a strategic partnership, also announced today, in which NVIDIA has obtained rights to develop its own high performance CPU cores based on ARM's future processor architecture. In addition, NVIDIA licensed ARM's current Cortex™-A15 processor for its future-generation Tegra® mobile processors."

    "ARM's future processor architecture" sounds like something secret and yet undisclosed, even from ARM.

    It's also distinguished from the latest official developments publicly known from ARM, the Cortex-A15 (which is also in the future).

    So it's something different. Whether it's "ARM64" remains to be seen...
    MorphOS is Amiga done right! :-)
    MorphOS NG will be AROS done right! :-)
  • »12.01.11 - 16:34
    Profile
  • Yokemate of Keyboards
    Yokemate of Keyboards
    takemehomegrandma
    Posts: 2720 from 2003/2/24
    ...but that doesn't mean the 32-bits won't be used in servers and desktops, they will surely be powerful enough! ARM is already being used in low power servers in data centers, and while the market is young, the future is bright and big companies like Dell and IBM are very positive. And did you see Windows run, play media and run Office on the current ARM based machines in the MS demonstration above? Looks very good! Heck, current cheap, low power ARM CPU's could even be used to build super computers, like IBM did with their BlueGene by building a new system architecture around an array of simplified PowerPC 440 cores.

    Add to that the future roadmaps of first the Cortex-A9 and then the Cortex-A15 that will over time bring:

    • Speeds beyond 2.5GHz+, 14,000+ DMIPS
    • 1-4X SMP within a single processor cluster
    • Multiple coherent SMP processor clusters through AMBA® 4 technology
    • ARM ISA
    • Thumb-2
    • TrustZone® security technology
    • NEON™ Advanced SIMD
    • DSP & SIMD extensions
    • VFPv4 Floating point
    • Jazelle® RCT
    • Hardware virtualization support
    • Large Physical Address Extensions (LPAE), meaning up to 1TB memory

    Add to that all the various controllers that individual CPU manufacturers chooses to add. So I'd say that ARM is definitely breaking out of its old boundaries, with or without nVidia's Denver! :-)
    MorphOS is Amiga done right! :-)
    MorphOS NG will be AROS done right! :-)
  • »12.01.11 - 17:14
    Profile
  • Yokemate of Keyboards
    Yokemate of Keyboards
    takemehomegrandma
    Posts: 2720 from 2003/2/24
    Quote:

    Add to that all the various controllers that individual CPU manufacturers chooses to add.


    Key technical features of Freescale's newly announced i.MX6 CPU's include:

    • Industry-leading four-core design
    • Up to four ARM Cortex-A9 cores running at up to 1.2 GHz per core
    • Up to 1 MB system level 2 cache
    • ARMv7, Neon, VFPv3 and Trustzone support
    • Multistream-capable HD video engine delivering 1080p60 decode, 1080p30 encode and 3D video playback in HD
    • Exceptional 3D graphics performance with quad shaders for up to 200 MTPS
    • Separate 2D and vertex acceleration engines for uncompromised user interface experiences
    • Stereoscopic image sensor support for 3D imaging
    • Interconnect: HDMI v1.4 w/ integrated PHY, SD3.0, multiple USB 2.0 ports w/ integrated PHY, Gb Ethernet w/ integrated PHY, SATA-II w/ integrated PHY, PCI-e w/ integrated PHY, MIPI CSI, MIPI DSI, MIPI HSI, and FlexCAN for automotive applications
    • Support for the VP8 codec (See related thread here on MZ!)
    • Support for one of the broadest ranges of major operating system platforms in the industry
    • Optional integration of an ePaper display controller for eReader and similar applications

    http://androidandme.com/2011/01/news/freescale-announces-new-low-power-multicore-processors/
    http://www.freescale.com/webapp/sps/site/overview.jsp?code=IMX6X_SERIES
    http://www.freescale.com/files/32bit/doc/fact_sheet/IMX6SRSFS.pdf
    MorphOS is Amiga done right! :-)
    MorphOS NG will be AROS done right! :-)
  • »12.01.11 - 17:32
    Profile
  • Priest of the Order of the Butterfly
    Priest of the Order of the Butterfly
    eliot
    Posts: 564 from 2004/4/15
    Ok, all said about ARM. When will MorphOS be available for ARM?
    ARM will be the best future for MorphOs. Don't emulate the PPC, just the 68k,
    everything else can be recompiled.
    regards
    eliot
  • »12.01.11 - 19:28
    Profile
  • Yokemate of Keyboards
    Yokemate of Keyboards
    Andreas_Wolf
    Posts: 12058 from 2003/5/22
    From: Germany
    > like IBM did with their BlueGene by building a new system
    > architecture around an array of simplified PowerPC 440 cores.

    Just to annotate, recent BlueGene system is built around 8192 "Power BQC" processors at 1.6 GHz each, which I assume have PPC A2 cores (like PowerEN).

    http://www.top500.org/system/11073

    > the Cortex-A15 that will over time bring:
    > • Speeds beyond 2.5GHz+

    ARM says "1.5GHz – 2.5 GHz", not "beyond 2.5GHz+".

    http://www.arm.com/products/processors/cortex-a/cortex-a15.php?tab=Performance

    > 14,000+ DMIPS

    14,000 DMIPS with how many cores at what clock frequency? Without these information that figure is of almost no use.
  • »12.01.11 - 19:39
    Profile
  • Order of the Butterfly
    Order of the Butterfly
    minator
    Posts: 365 from 2003/3/28
    Hi all, long time no see.

    I can answer a point here...

    Nvidia have 2 options:
    1) Take an existing ARM core and tweak it to run faster.
    2) Get an Architecture license and design their own core.

    In both cases the ISA is the same. The Architecture licensees are required to implement the full ISA.

    That said add-ons are not required, the NEON vector extensions (think AltiVec) are optional. Surprisingly Tegra 2 does not have NEON.

    Hope that answers that one.

    --

    One of the problems the MorphOS team have is the Apple machines they are currently targeting have no documentation. At best they'll be able to look at Linux code but otherwise it's reverse engineering.

    For an ARM port they can get the docs for the ARM architecture by going to ARM, filling in a form and downloading them.

    That won't give them the full docs to whatever chip they target but it's better than reverse engineering.

    Getting docs for other parts is likely to be rather more difficult. Companies are getting very paranoid about patent trolls these days so wont give out technical docs without very good reason. Being closed source and commercial might help though.

    OTOH Genesi's contacts with ARM could prove very useful.

    --

    As for 64 bit, scroll to the bottom of this page.



    Cheers.
  • »12.01.11 - 23:36
    Profile Visit Website
  • Jim
  • Yokemate of Keyboards
    Yokemate of Keyboards
    Jim
    Posts: 4977 from 2009/1/28
    From: Delaware, USA
    "so the alleged "buzz" regarding the prospect of "Denver" being 64-bit just wasn't (and isn't) there"

    Really?

    http://www.semiaccurate.com/forums/showthread.php?p=92886

    "Questions burning: will it have a 64 bit ISA?
    If not, that could be a bit of a problem, especially if its going to run windows 8 on desktops (For many server applications, I actually see this as less of a problem). If it is, is it a as of yet undisclosed 64 bit ARM ISA that was rumored a short while ago?"

    There are LOTS of reference to this speculation spread throughout the web. I appreciate Andreas' forceful arguement to the contrary, but he's wrong. He's not the only person on the planet posting this speculation. It doesn't even require his usual in-depth investigation and thoughtful insight.

    For once Andreas, admit YOU are wrong.

    There has been previous speculation posted on this topic on the Internet. Its not that original .It's easy to find. And your tirade against my claim that its a buzz on the Internet, its tiresome.

    For God's sake, find some other inaccuracy in my statements (after all I'm good for them). But this isn't one of them. People ARE speculating as to whether or not Denver is a 64bit processor.


    [ Edited by Jim on 2011/1/13 1:29 ]

    [ Edited by Jim on 2011/1/13 1:30 ]

    [ Edited by Jim on 2011/1/13 1:32 ]
    "Never attribute to malice what can more readily explained by incompetence"
  • »13.01.11 - 00:28
    Profile
  • Yokemate of Keyboards
    Yokemate of Keyboards
    Andreas_Wolf
    Posts: 12058 from 2003/5/22
    From: Germany
    > Nvidia have 2 options:
    > 1) Take an existing ARM core and tweak it to run faster.
    > 2) Get an Architecture license and design their own core.

    I think it has already been established from the start that nVidia is going for option #2 with "Denver". What isn't clear yet is what still to be revealed ARM ISA version they'll base the chip on.

    > Hope that answers that one.

    Depends on what (you think) the question was about, actually ;-)

    > At best they'll be able to look at Linux code

    Or even better from a legal point of view: *BSD code :-)

    > For an ARM port they can get the docs for the ARM architecture
    > by going to ARM, filling in a form and downloading them. That
    > won't give them the full docs to whatever chip they target but it's
    > better than reverse engineering.

    How is having an ARM ISA version's documentation and trying to port an OS to an ARM SoC with a core based on that ARM ISA version any better than having a Power ISA version's documentation and trying to port an OS to a machine with a discrete PPC CPU based on that Power ISA version? You won't even need to fill in a form to get whatever Power ISA version's docs you want:

    http://www.power.org/resources/downloads/

    So I don't think there's much reverse engineering involved in porting MorphOS to the PPC970 CPU.

    > As for 64 bit, scroll to the bottom of this page.

    Thanks for this insightful link. To quote the relevant part for lazy bums: "Hitherto, we've decided it's not been sensible to have 64-bit programs. Extended memory addressing at 40 bits is in the latest Cortex-A15 ... but we haven't had the need for a 64-bit [arithmetic logic unit]."

    Seeing how the tenses have been used in this statement I believe it can't be ruled out that a yet to be revealed ARM ISA (which "Denver" is supposed to be based on) will be 64-bit. Any objections? Not being a native English speaker I could have interpreted the specific usage of tenses in a wrong way.
  • »13.01.11 - 00:59
    Profile
  • Yokemate of Keyboards
    Yokemate of Keyboards
    Andreas_Wolf
    Posts: 12058 from 2003/5/22
    From: Germany
    >> the alleged "buzz" regarding the prospect of "Denver"
    >> being 64-bit just wasn't (and isn't) there

    > Really?
    > http://www.semiaccurate.com/forums/showthread.php?p=92886

    It's almost funny how you use the single link and quote *I* gave you to prove the "almost" part in my "almost no one" claim against me now. Is there really so much buzz on the web about the prospect of "Denver" being 64-bit that you couldn't come up with an own find?

    > There are LOTS of reference to this speculation spread throughout the web.

    In the posting in which I gave you the link and quote you re-quoted above I asked you for links regarding this (quote: "Maybe you have some links for me?"). So far you've chosen to ignore that question, and your most recent response doesn't add anything of value to answer that question of mine. Capitalized words like "LOTS" aren't going to convince me.

    > He's not the only person on the planet posting this speculation

    I never claimed I was. Re-read what I actually wrote. There's a wide range between one single person on the planet discussing a matter and that matter being "the current buzz".

    > It doesn't even require his usual in-depth investigation and thoughtful insight.

    That's correct but doesn't change the fact that I fail to see "the current buzz" about the prospect of "Denver" being 64-bit.

    > For once Andreas, admit YOU are wrong.

    I'll do as soon as you've convinced me of me being wrong. Remember, only links will do. That shouldn't be too hard I think. (And btw, why "for once"?)

    > There has been previous speculation posted on this topic
    > on the Internet. Its not that original

    Previous than what? Mind you, speculations about the "Denver" announcement can't be older than the "Denver" announcement itself. Any prior speculations about 'ARM64' (to which *I* gave the links btw) do not include the "Denver" announcement.

    > It's easy to find.

    Then I'd appreciate a link (and please not the one that I gave you).

    > your tirade against my claim that its a buzz on the Internet, its tiresome.

    So is your tirade against my claim that there's no "buzz on the Internet" about the prospect of "Denver" being 64-bit.

    > find some other inaccuracy in my statements

    ;-)

    > this isn't one of them.

    I still think it is.

    > People ARE speculating as to whether or not Denver is a 64bit processor.

    In which places, except here on MorphZone and on the one link I gave you?
  • »13.01.11 - 01:38
    Profile
  • Jim
  • Yokemate of Keyboards
    Yokemate of Keyboards
    Jim
    Posts: 4977 from 2009/1/28
    From: Delaware, USA
    Now you want more links?

    Yes I can get them.

    I can also provide you with PMs I've been exchanging with others for the last week.

    But this has gotten a little ridiculous. You said there were no speculations, I've posted one and I'd invite anyone reading this to go look for others. They're there.

    If you insist on hammering on this I'll go dig up others, but that's not something I'd prefer to waste my time doing.

    You ought to know me well enough to know that I have no problem admitting when I'm wrong. So why would you doubt me when I tell you that this time I'm not?

    I will dig up more references if it will halt this unproductive disagreement.

    There are people discussing this. You're one. I talked to others. What you and I define as a 'buzz' is obviously different. But the speculation that Nvidia is readying the first 64bit ARM is not new. Intelligent people like yourself are coming to this conclusion in multiple places world wide.

    Whether you like it or not, you're part of the 'buzz'.

    Hey, like I've said before, as far as I can tell most people in the X86 market never thought to question whether it would be anything other than 64bit.

    You're tenacious Andreas. And this time I think you're dead on, but its NOT an original thought. So if you insist, I can dig up more references.
    After all, you denied they were there. I've given you one. You don't seriously think that's the only post, do you?

    [ Edited by Jim on 2011/1/13 3:00 ]

    [ Edited by Jim on 2011/1/13 3:03 ]
    "Never attribute to malice what can more readily explained by incompetence"
  • »13.01.11 - 01:58
    Profile
  • Jim
  • Yokemate of Keyboards
    Yokemate of Keyboards
    Jim
    Posts: 4977 from 2009/1/28
    From: Delaware, USA
    http://www.hpcwire.com/blogs/NVIDIA-ARMs-Itself-for-Heterogeneous-Computing-Future-113025584.html

    "As part of this strategy, the company has obtained rights to develop its own NVIDIA-designed high performance CPU cores using ARM's future processor architecture. Presumably this will be based on a future 64-bit implementation of the ARM ISA, given that 64-bit computing is the accepted standard outside of the mobile space."
    "Never attribute to malice what can more readily explained by incompetence"
  • »13.01.11 - 02:22
    Profile
  • Yokemate of Keyboards
    Yokemate of Keyboards
    Andreas_Wolf
    Posts: 12058 from 2003/5/22
    From: Germany
    > Now you want more links?

    Not only now. I've been asking you for links on page #1 of this thread already.

    > I can also provide you with PMs I've been exchanging with
    > others for the last week.

    To be honest, I'm more interested in web links. I believe them to be stronger evidence than PMs.

    > You said there were no speculations

    No, I said there were *almost* no speculations. That "almost" part is essential since *I* gave you the one place *I* was able to find (besides MorphZone) where the prospect of "Denver" being 64-bit was discussed on the web.

    > I've posted one

    Yes, the single one *I* had given to you before to prove *my* point.

    > What you and I define as a 'buzz' is obviously different.

    That answer to my question on page #1 (quote: "Or is it just that you and me differ regarding the meaning of the word "buzz", i.e. that by "the current buzz" you mean merely you and me and some others here on MorphZone discussing it?") finally came a long way.

    > the speculation that Nvidia is readying the first 64bit ARM is not new.

    Yes, even my single link I gave you is about 1 day older than my first speculation here on MorphZone. So no need to lecture me on that.

    > Intelligent people like yourself are coming to
    > this conclusion in multiple places world wide.

    Yes, but as far as I can see not to an extent that justifies calling it "the current buzz" about the "Denver" announcement.

    > most people in the X86 market never thought to question whether
    > it would be anything other than 64bit.

    I still don't concur with that.

    > its NOT an original thought.

    I never claimed so, quite to the contrary.

    > you denied they were there.

    No, I said *I* couldn't *find* more. That's a difference.

    > I've given you one.

    ...that I had given you before.

    > You don't seriously think that's the only post, do you?

    No, of course not. But again: I think there's a wide range between one single person (or two or three) on the planet discussing a matter and that matter being "the current buzz".
  • »13.01.11 - 02:46
    Profile
  • Yokemate of Keyboards
    Yokemate of Keyboards
    Andreas_Wolf
    Posts: 12058 from 2003/5/22
    From: Germany
    > http://www.hpcwire.com/blogs/NVIDIA-ARMs-Itself-for-Heterogeneous-Computing-Future-113025584.html

    Ah, finally a link to another article. That's more than I had hoped to get from you ;-) Thanks. Besides MorphZone, now we have one article and one forum post. Do you have some more of this "current buzz", possibly?
  • »13.01.11 - 02:52
    Profile
  • Jim
  • Yokemate of Keyboards
    Yokemate of Keyboards
    Jim
    Posts: 4977 from 2009/1/28
    From: Delaware, USA
    Absolutely, and if this didn't continue to be one of the more childish exchanges I've had to deal with I'd continue to list them.

    But frankly, I'm not sure its worth my time. We're beginning to look badly to the others wallowing through this post and I'm a little embarrassed (for both of us) and not sure if I should continue to encourage you.

    This is the first time you've really disappointed me. For some reason you aren't willing to admit the possibility that others have concurrently come to similar conclusions as you have. And you've latched on to the narrow point you think you have about whether or not there is an active discussion of this on the Internet.
    I've already provided you with proof this is being discussed.
    I heard the speculation before I saw it posted here.

    And I don't know why this upsets you because, unlike many other conclusions you've come to, this on involves no great insight. ARM moving to 64bit has been discussed before. Nvidia announces an ARM design (with no details) aimmed at markets dominated by 64bit processor. What else are people to conclude?

    Another no-brainer. While Nvidia license existing cores or obtain a license to design its own?
    Obviously the later since they infer in their press release that Denver will be more powerful than the A15 (which they state they'll use in other products).
    If they want an ARM processor that outperforms the best current design how else are they going to get it? They have to design it (or pay someone else to design it which seem far less likely).

    The speculation that ARM will be used as a basis for a design that interprets X86 code (similar to Transmeta)? No, I can't see that. Did you follow the development of Transmeta processors? Their key flaw was really low performance. I have a contact who was part of the team that designed Transmeta evaluation boards. It was a neat idea that didn't execute well.

    Nvidia could just as easily buy VIA. Or merge with VIA. That would give them the right to produce X86 processors. Considering Nvidia history of buying out other companies, this path seems far more likely.

    You know, I think this is the first time you've actually managed to offend me. In the past I've appreciated your input, knowledge, and references. Your a sharp, insightful person.
    But you're also hard headed, more than a little snide, and unwilling to admit when you're wrong.

    I'll continue posting these examples if you want, but I think there are other ways we could both be using our time.

    [ Edited by Jim on 2011/1/13 4:49 ]

    [ Edited by Jim on 2011/1/13 4:50 ]
    "Never attribute to malice what can more readily explained by incompetence"
  • »13.01.11 - 03:48
    Profile
  • Yokemate of Keyboards
    Yokemate of Keyboards
    Andreas_Wolf
    Posts: 12058 from 2003/5/22
    From: Germany
    >> Do you have some more of this "current buzz", possibly?

    > Absolutely

    So pleast list them, or at least some of them if they're too many.

    > not sure if I should continue to encourage you.

    You said you want me to admit I'm wrong. Not giving more than the one single link you gave so far (besides the one I gave you before) surely won't encourage me to do so.

    > you aren't willing to admit the possibility that others have
    > concurrently come to similar conclusions as you have.

    I've told you several times that this is not true, and you know it (if not, re-read what I actually claimed and objected to). I even admitted that others have come to this conclusion *before* me and *I* was the one presenting the first evidence of that. So please, stop this lie.

    > you've latched on to the narrow point you think you have about
    > whether or not there is an active discussion of this on the Internet.
    > I've already provided you with proof this is being discussed.

    I never said it's not being discussed but merely objected to your claim that it's "the current buzz" about this announcement and claimed that "almost no one" has been discussing this. To support this point let me outline what we actually have, as far as I can see. A Google search for nvidia+denver+arm results in about 1.1 million reported hits here right now. Oppose to that the 2 (or 3 including MorphZone) occurrences of this discussion/conclusion on the web that I'm aware of right now. Sincerely, what other conclusions than that it's not the current buzz about this announcement and that there's *almost* no one discussing this can I possibly draw?

    > I don't know why this upsets you

    I'm upset because you ask me to admit being wrong about something which I think I'm not wrong about, as all evidence I have so far supports my point. The sad fact is that you claim to have more evidence but are not willing to give it to me so that I could see that it's really what "the current buzz" is about. And I'm also upset because you continue to lie about what I claimed (see above).

    > this on involves no great insight.

    To quote myself: That's correct but doesn't change the fact that I fail to see "the current buzz" about the prospect of "Denver" being 64-bit.

    > ARM moving to 64bit has been discussed before. Nvidia announces
    > an ARM design (with no details) aimmed at markets dominated by
    > 64bit processor. What else are people to conclude?

    Don't you see that this is exactly what I'm about? The conclusion is very much obvious, as you say yourself, but still there's (as far as I can see) almost no discussion about this compared to the impact the "Denver" announcement created generally. That's what I've been suprised about from the beginning. I think ARM Ltd. officially offering a 64-bit ISA would even be bigger news than just the "Denver" announcement.

    > While Nvidia license existing cores or obtain a license to
    > design its own? Obviously the later

    As you can read in my response to minator this has been established from the get-go. I don't know why you bring this up now in your response to me.

    > since they infer in their press release that Denver will be more powerful
    > than the A15 (which they state they'll use in other products). If they want
    > an ARM processor that outperforms the best current design how else are
    > they going to get it? They have to design it (or pay someone else to design
    > it which seem far less likely).

    I don't think that rationale makes sense. Along with a new ISA version ARM Ltd. has always offered own corresponding cores to license. So if nVidia can license a still undisclosed ARM ISA version then I think they could as well instead license the associated (and as well still undisclosed) core from ARM Ltd.
    The real rationale is that nVidia explicitly say in their press release that they obtained an ARM architectural license and are going to design their own ARM core for "Denver", rather than license a ready-made core from ARM Ltd. That's as clear as such statement can get.

    > The speculation that ARM will be used as a basis for a design that
    > interprets X86 code (similar to Transmeta)? No, I can't see that.

    Thanks for addressing this speculation. I'm with you on that one. It's hard to see that such a solution could make sense performance-wise. Even the author of the article circulating that speculation agrees with us on that.

    > this is the first time you've actually managed to offend me.

    Offending you wasn't my intention. But still, I can't admit that I'm wrong when I sincerely believe I'm not. I hope you understand this stance of mine.
    In a balancing way I can say that I too feel offended by your attempt to outright lie about what I claimed.

    > you're [...] unwilling to admit when you're wrong.

    That's not true. If you want I can give you a dozen links from MorphZone alone where I admitted being wrong. But yes, it required not just capitalized words but real evidence to convince me. I don't think that's too much to ask.

    > I'll continue posting these examples if you want

    Yes, please do so. It's very much appreciated. I think a total of 11 links (i.e. one 100,000th of the amount of current Google hits) would suffice to convince me of the prospect of "Denver" being 64-bit being "the current buzz" about this announcement. That's a more than a fair assessment for "the current buzz", I believe.
  • »13.01.11 - 13:47
    Profile
  • Jim
  • Yokemate of Keyboards
    Yokemate of Keyboards
    Jim
    Posts: 4977 from 2009/1/28
    From: Delaware, USA
    "No, I said there were *almost* no speculations."

    Yes you did say that.

    You also said ""so the alleged "buzz" regarding the prospect of "Denver" being 64-bit just wasn't (and isn't) there".

    And you'd like 11 Goggle links? Probably doable.
    The funny thing is, the first would be this thread (you're part of the buzz).
    Another thing is I'd have to agree with allowing you to define the term and state the qualifications that would satisfy your definitions. That is a political game I won't play into.

    So if it makes you feel better, there is no buzz (except for what we both know is there).

    Do I want to waste my time carrying this ridiculous argument further?

    Not really, I feel it diminishes both of us (and everyone else is getting such a kick out of using the term buzz). How you feel about hardly influences that.

    [ Edited by Jim on 2011/1/13 23:30 ]
    "Never attribute to malice what can more readily explained by incompetence"
  • »13.01.11 - 22:30
    Profile
  • Yokemate of Keyboards
    Yokemate of Keyboards
    Andreas_Wolf
    Posts: 12058 from 2003/5/22
    From: Germany
    >> "No, I said there were *almost* no speculations."

    > Yes you did say that.

    I'm glad you decided to stop this lie. Thanks for that.

    > You also said ""so the alleged "buzz" regarding the prospect
    > of "Denver" being 64-bit just wasn't (and isn't) there".

    Yes, that's exactly what I said. And I'm still of this opinion.

    > you'd like 11 Goggle links?

    If you can give a total of 11 hyperlinks (not "Goggle links") to articles or forum threads discussing the matter then I'll admit being wrong, which is what you asked me to do. So you could assume it's not that I really want you to give me those links but rather that I think you should be eager to give them to me ;-) Seriously, I'll happily admit being wrong when being convinced of being wrong. For me it's more important to know the truth than being right.

    > Probably doable.

    Yes, I think so. I really tried to be fair by "demanding" only one 100,000th of current Google hits.

    > the first would be this thread

    Yes, and second would be the link to the forum post I gave you, and third would be the link to the article you gave me. Makes only 8 to go.

    > I'd have to agree with allowing you to define the term
    > and state the qualifications that would satisfy your
    > definitions.

    Of course, an agreement on the quantification would be necessary to come to a final conclusion. I really tried to be fair in my assessment. If you think that 11 is not an appropriate number of required links to support the claim of something being "the current buzz" about an announcement I'm all ears for your proposal.

    > That is a political game

    I don't see it that way. It's all about making claims and presenting sufficient supporting evidence. Nothing political about that.

    > there is no buzz

    Fine. I'm willing to accept your retraction from your "buzz" claim. A pity as you've been mere 8 links off ;-)

    > except for what we both know is there

    ...which in my book is still too little to qualify as "the current buzz" about the "Denver" announcement.

    > everyone else is getting such a kick out of using
    > the term buzz

    Let them have their kick. Besides, it's not only been about the term "buzz" as such but more about the whole phrasing "the current buzz" (as opposed to just "a current buzz").

    > How you feel about hardly influences that.

    Exactly. Nothing about feelings here, only about claims and hard evidence (or so far rather lack thereof, unfortunately).
  • »13.01.11 - 23:24
    Profile
  • Jim
  • Yokemate of Keyboards
    Yokemate of Keyboards
    Jim
    Posts: 4977 from 2009/1/28
    From: Delaware, USA
    Andreas, arguing with you is as tiring as arguing with one of my siblings.
    But you're right. No hard feelings.
    Besides, it more important that we get back to the topic.
    I'm extremely excited about Nvidia picking this up and Microsoft's support can only broaden ARM support.
    "Never attribute to malice what can more readily explained by incompetence"
  • »13.01.11 - 23:33
    Profile
  • Order of the Butterfly
    Order of the Butterfly
    minator
    Posts: 365 from 2003/3/28
    Er, what exactly are you guys arguing about?

    Maybe the answer is in the Nvidia press release:

    "This new processor stems from a strategic partnership, also announced today, in which NVIDIA has obtained rights to develop its own high performance CPU cores based on ARM’s future processor architecture."
  • »14.01.11 - 00:26
    Profile Visit Website
  • Yokemate of Keyboards
    Yokemate of Keyboards
    Andreas_Wolf
    Posts: 12058 from 2003/5/22
    From: Germany
    > what exactly are you guys arguing about?

    Read up from where that argument started:

    https://morph.zone/modules/newbb_plus/viewtopic.php?topic_id=7675&forum=3&post_id=80969#80969

    > Maybe the answer is in the Nvidia press release

    No, it's not. If it was there wouldn't have been any argument in the first place.
  • »14.01.11 - 00:33
    Profile
  • Jim
  • Yokemate of Keyboards
    Yokemate of Keyboards
    Jim
    Posts: 4977 from 2009/1/28
    From: Delaware, USA
    Totally off the point. Andreas and I just have a valid difference of opinion about the number of people who actually have clued into what this announcement may mean.
    Frankly I think he's right that virtually none of the so-called IT professionals in the press have realized what the likely specs of this processor are (or how it represents something new).
    Only a few people in forums and blogs have put two and two together and drawn these conclusions.
    Our only 'argument' (if you can call it that) is on the numbers. And he's probably right, most people appear to be clueless about how significant this could be.
    "Never attribute to malice what can more readily explained by incompetence"
  • »14.01.11 - 00:48
    Profile