Software > Operating Systems and Porting

kernel config: page size 4k vs 64k

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ClassicHasClass:
cchincz, as MPC7500 correctly points out, they are both 4-core CPUs -- the "16 CPUs" are an artifact of SMT -- and optimization is still a problem for some programs. This is improving slowly. For example, we now have better SIMD in Firefox and in other media packages.

MauryG5:
I agree 100 per 100 with what MPC and Classic say and I had already written it to you before I cchincz. It is useless to make comparisons with X86, they cannot be done because we do not have the software optimizations that they have! This thing matters more than you might think, it matters a lot, it is the main reason for which we do not have the same or superior performance. Unfortunately at the moment we cannot see the goodness and performance superiority of Power because the software does not allow it. But in any case just as our SiteAdmin says, at least they are safe and fully controllable compared to X86 and I can personally say that at the level of operating system and normal use in Desktop, I personally go great in any case. If one day we are lucky enough to have optimized programs and native programs for our Power architecture, then for sure things will change a lot and the scales will move a lot ...

cchinicz:

--- Quote from: SiteAdmin on February 04, 2021, 12:32:11 pm ---
--- Quote from: cchinicz on February 04, 2021, 10:42:19 am ---Maybe Power9 is a better fit for HPC or TB HANA in memory DBs but not as a Desktop alternative, not taking into account the difficulty to find software for the architecture.

--- End quote ---

That's a bit of a stretch, don't you think?  Those Intel cores (and similar AMD ones) come with a mandatory signed binary blob on a secondary CPU that has full access to all your data.  In the worst case, you could simply be computing faster for an adversary by selecting the Intel solution.

Given the lack of those blobs is one of POWER's main reasons to be used on desktop, a more appropriate comparison for the specific purpose of determining POWER's usability as a desktop computer would be against other silicon that is also blob-free -- older Intel parts (Core Duo timeframe), or blob-free ARM devices (e.g. Rockchip).

If you want the fastest possible desktop with no regard for security, owner control, or privacy, then the simple fact is the latest AMD devices running Windows are your best bet.  For many of us, and especially here at Raptor, that represents such a large risk that we'd rather go back to pen and paper...

...much like the Justice Department just did here in the US, actually, after the SolarWinds proprietary / signed malware problems. ;D

--- End quote ---

Hi, I was not discussing privacy concerns. Actually I'm quite happy with my Blackbird and the community here, which is very supportive of new and less tech savvy users like myself. Also, it performs quite well for my needs from a desktop. I agree with MauryG5 and ClassicHasClass that it's pointless to compare performance.

I appreciate very much the work you guys do at Raptor developing open hardware and wish you continued sucess.

Sincerely

cchinicz:

--- Quote from: MPC7500 on February 04, 2021, 11:17:59 am ---Both CPUs are 4-core.
At the end it's all about optimisations.

Improving performance of Phoronix benchmarks on POWER9
Easier Power ISA vectorizing for fun and profit with GCC x86 intrinsics

--- End quote ---

This then answers my question, 4K and 64K page sizes resulted in roughly the same performance.

The discussion about Fedora desktop for PPC64el being 4K is related to compatibility aspects and not performance.

Thanks for the clarification.

MauryG5:
above all it affects the GPUs that are used. The 4K dimensions have become indispensable if you want to use a new generation GPU like Le Navi10 or 14, or the Nano ...! I believe that even the Big Navi will now want the dimensions in 4K, lately it is clear that AMD in the latest drivers it has provided, has made a switch to 4K and therefore we need to adapt the Kernel and currently none of the developers of the various distros are going to use the 4K option apparently ...

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