• Yes, everyone wants to pretend their processor is new and revolutionary

    From RichA@21:1/5 to All on Thu Oct 28 21:22:40 2021
    https://9to5google.com/2021/10/20/google-tensor-chip/

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  • From Alan Browne@21:1/5 to RichA on Fri Oct 29 15:54:53 2021
    On 2021-10-29 00:22, RichA wrote:
    https://9to5google.com/2021/10/20/google-tensor-chip/

    It's actually optimizing general purpose ARM processors for particular
    machine applications while adding sophisticated modules for machine
    learning, graphics, etc. Much as Apple has done with its "A" series
    chips (iPhone, iPad) and "M" series (Mac, high end iPad) and other very specialized ARM derivatives.

    Missing with the Google processor (as far as I can see) is the unified
    memory architecture that Apple uses in its M series. This greatly
    improves all functions as there is far, far less moving of data around
    between functional portions of the computer.

    Pretty amazing stuff actually, and it will all be quaintly old in 10 years.

    --
    "...there are many humorous things in this world; among them the white
    man's notion that he is less savage than the other savages."
    -Samuel Clemens

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  • From RichA@21:1/5 to Alan Browne on Fri Oct 29 23:24:27 2021
    On Friday, 29 October 2021 at 15:54:57 UTC-4, Alan Browne wrote:
    On 2021-10-29 00:22, RichA wrote:
    https://9to5google.com/2021/10/20/google-tensor-chip/

    It's actually optimizing general purpose ARM processors for particular machine applications while adding sophisticated modules for machine
    learning, graphics, etc. Much as Apple has done with its "A" series
    chips (iPhone, iPad) and "M" series (Mac, high end iPad) and other very specialized ARM derivatives.

    Missing with the Google processor (as far as I can see) is the unified
    memory architecture that Apple uses in its M series. This greatly
    improves all functions as there is far, far less moving of data around between functional portions of the computer.

    Pretty amazing stuff actually, and it will all be quaintly old in 10 years.


    Things haven't changed that much. Silicon chips, conventional storage, battery power, only just narrower trace widths. All the wonderous, long-predicted advances like optical or quantum processing have not come to pass.

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  • From Alan Browne@21:1/5 to RichA on Sat Oct 30 10:53:30 2021
    On 2021-10-30 02:24, RichA wrote:
    On Friday, 29 October 2021 at 15:54:57 UTC-4, Alan Browne wrote:
    On 2021-10-29 00:22, RichA wrote:
    https://9to5google.com/2021/10/20/google-tensor-chip/

    It's actually optimizing general purpose ARM processors for particular
    machine applications while adding sophisticated modules for machine
    learning, graphics, etc. Much as Apple has done with its "A" series
    chips (iPhone, iPad) and "M" series (Mac, high end iPad) and other very
    specialized ARM derivatives.

    Missing with the Google processor (as far as I can see) is the unified
    memory architecture that Apple uses in its M series. This greatly
    improves all functions as there is far, far less moving of data around
    between functional portions of the computer.

    Pretty amazing stuff actually, and it will all be quaintly old in 10 years. >>

    Things haven't changed that much. Silicon chips, conventional storage, battery power, only just narrower trace widths. All the wonderous, long-predicted advances like optical or quantum processing have not come to pass.

    You're vastly under rating the machine learning / neural networks /
    GPU's etc. contribution to performance.

    --
    "...there are many humorous things in this world; among them the white
    man's notion that he is less savage than the other savages."
    -Samuel Clemens

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