-now, interestingly, if spike is thrown into the mix there (as a
-cycle-accurate RISC-V simulator) it should be perfectly well possible
-to get an idea of where performance of the above would need
-optimisation, just like jeff did with the nyuzi paper. he focussed on
-specific algorithms and checked the assembly code, and worked out how
-many instruction cycles per pixel were needed, which is an invaluable
-measure.
-
-as i mention in the above page, one of the problems with doing a
-completely separate engine (Nyuzi is actually a general-purpose
-RISC-based vector processor) is that when it comes to using it, you
-need to transfer all the "state" data structures from the main core
-over to the GPU's core.
-
-... but if the main core is RISC-V *and the GPU is RISC-V as well* and
-they are SMP cores then transferring the state is a simple matter of
-doing a context-switch... or if *all* cores have vector and 3D
-instruction extensions, a context-switch is not needed at all.
-
-will that approach work? honestly i have absolutely no idea, but it
-would be a fascinating and extremely ambitious research project.
-
-can we get people to fund it? yeah i do. there's a lot of buzz about
-RISC-V, and a lot of buzz can be created about a libre 3D GPU. if
-that same GPU happens to be good at doing crypto-currency mining there
-will be a LOT more attention paid, particularly given that people have
-noticed that relying on proprietary GPUs and CPUs to manage billions
-of dollars worth of crypto-currency, when the NSA is *known* to have
-blackmailed intel into putting a spying back-door co-processor in to
-x86, and that it miiight not be a good idea to trust proprietary
-hardware libreboot.org/faq#intelme
+Now, interestingly, if spike is thrown into the mix there (as a cycle-accurate RISC-V simulator) it should be perfectly well possible to get an idea of where performance of the above would need optimization, just like Jeff did with the Nyuzi paper.
+
+He focussed on specific algorithms and checked the assembly code, and worked out how many instruction cycles per pixel were needed, which is an invaluable measure.
+
+As I mention in the above page, one of the problems with doing a completely separate engine (Nyuzi is actually a general-purpose RISC-based vector processor) is that when it comes to using it, you need to transfer all the "state" data structures from the main core over to the GPU's core.
+
+... But if the main core is RISC-V *and the GPU is RISC-V as well* and they are SMP cores then transferring the state is a simple matter of doing a context-switch... or if *all* cores have vector and 3D instruction extensions, a context-switch is not needed at all.
+
+Will that approach work? Honestly I have absolutely no idea, but it would be a fascinating and extremely ambitious research project.
+
+Can we get people to fund it? Yeah I do. there's a lot of buzz about RISC-V, and a lot of buzz can be created about a libre 3D GPU. If that same GPU happens to be good at doing crypto-currency mining there will be a LOT more attention paid, particularly given that people have noticed that relying on proprietary GPUs and CPUs to manage billions of dollars worth of crypto-currency, when the NSA is *known* to have blackmailed intel into putting a spying back-door co-processor in to x86, and that it miiight not be a good idea to trust proprietary hardware
+
+<libreboot.org/faq#intelme>