NDAs Re: [Beowulf] Nvidia, cuda, tesla and... where's my double floating point?

[Joe Landman]

Vincent Diepeveen wrote:
> Jim,
> 
> Reality is that the person who SPECULATES that something is good
> also hides behind a DNA. This is another typical case of that.

Hiding behind DNA?  Gotta be thin ...

(ok ok, I'll keep my day job ...)

> On the one hand claiming a NDA, on the other hand implying that is a 
> very good product that will get
> released.

An NDA is a device to allow a company to get its act together while 
getting feedback on the product they want to release.   It is quite useful.

[...]

> If NVIDIA clearly indicates towards me that they aren't gonna release 
> any technical data nor support anyone with technical

er ... have you looked at the site I indicated?

> data (the word NDA has not been used by the way by either party, it was 
> a very clear NJET from 'em),
> and all information i've got so far is very dissapointing, then hiding 
> behind a NDA is considered very bad manners.

No, it's not.  It seems to me that given the number of applications out 
there now using their kit, that rumors of a lack of information to use 
their kit might be ... er ...  not well founded.

> Either shut up entirely or do not hide behind a NDA.

Ah ... Ok.  Manners, manners Vincent.

[...]

> In case of NVIDIA if you google a tad you will figure out that the 
> double precision promise has been done more than once,

Hmmm.... I would suggest you sign an NDA with them, and learn what it is 
they are talking about to their customers, though I suspect they may not 
wish to pre-divulge information to you given what you have indicated here.

[...]

> IBM now shows up with a working supercomputer using new generation CELL 
> processors which have a sustained 77 Gflop double precision
> a chip which means a tad more than 150 Gflop for each node. Each 
> rackmount node is relative cheap and performs very well.

Cell is good.  Now try to program it.  Yes, it is a SMOP ( 
http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/S/SMOP.html )

> 1 Petaflop @ 2.66 MW, that's really good.

Yup.  Exaflop at 2.66 GW.  Waaa hoooo!!!!


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Joseph Landman, Ph.D
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