Intel builds 80-core processor prototype

[8-5-8]

Article

It's an intersting look at what processor architecture may look like in a decade or so... the potential is there to change the way computers are built. And this thing consumes less wattage than the current quad-core chips that are out, which may become a driving factor in chip development we as a global society work to conserve energy in the future.

Any tech-heads care to discuss? /

[nhcigarfan]

Ok, so it's an 80 ring gauge 4-cigar culebra or something


PS - nice to see you back 8-5-8.

[SkinnyDan]

This is very interesting on paper but it will be even more interesting to see in action. The problem I see is that this will be so far away. I believe 4-6 years until the architecture is available, and then another 2-3 years until any kind of software is designed to use the power of this many cores.

Mainstream dual core technology is 1 1/2 years old already, yet there are almost no software applications that can use it to it's full potential.

But with technology you never know what the real timeline will be. Maybe this architecture will be available in just a few years and hopefully software developers will have caught up by then and be able to scale their software to multiple cores quickly.

But that's just my opinion.

-Dan

[cigar no baka]

Wow, it's been a while. Welcome back!! I don't have enough tech know-how to discuss this though.

[8-5-8]

Exactly my thoughts, Dan. But it is a nice little look "over the horizon" so to speak. And I'm thinking that with that many cores, even ones less functional than the individual cores on the current chips, it may be possible to offload the threading function to some of that hardware, eventually allowing engineers to write "one-code-fits-all" programs that can make use of one core or one hundred.

Speculation, I know, but it is quite exiciting! (to a nerd like myself, anyhow)

[nhcigarfan]

great, here comes skynet and I ain't know john connors

[SkinnyDan]

Here's a really good article about how Valve (the makers of Half-Life) are reworking the programming for their source engine and how they are trying to future proof it for the entuality of massive multi-core system.

http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/2006/...e_Engin/1.html

It's also a very good read on the "over the horizon" aspects of multi-core architecture and how it may be implemented is software.

-Dan

[8-5-8]

And thanks, guys... it's great to be back!

And Dan, you a regular Bit-Techer?

[SkinnyDan]

And Dan, you a regular Bit-Techer?

That's the second site I check every morning when I get to work, the first being WOOT!

After I finish reading the new articles on Bit-Tech I head here and start reading.

-Dan

[MCsommerreid]

At the quad core release I believe they had an estimated release date of 2012 for a 40 core model.

[CoventryCat86]

Welcome back 8-5-8

[8-5-8]

Thanks CC! Good to see you're still a regular around these parts.

[cigar no baka]

CC went AWOL last fall, but he's been around a lot since the elections finished up. Got back just in time to help us run off a few real asshats.