[sf-lug] Posting and Announcement

[jim stockford]

    Momtaheni's Posting and Announcement seems to
announce activities pertaining to linux running on IBM's
new cell CPU. I'd like to know what's this BE business
(as in "cell BE")?
    This strikes me as potentially important as IBM has
a big and high quality RnD department and the cell
CPU is touted as a worthy alternative to Intel's (and
others') offerings.
    If IBM is pushing the cell CPU, what machines will
appear? "Back room" machines for sure, possibly new
user (desktop, gaming...) machines, too, maybe new
data and service appliances.
    The computer user community at large seems to be
at some kind of breaking point: open source is gaining
popularity, linux is increasing market share with a new
push for desktop use, there are cracks in the paradigms
for embedded systems (calls for more CPUs rather
than more complex software, for one example).
    There's a new spate of product offerings that are
services for users: google's calendar/email/im/
spreadsheet..., zimbra's on-line office productivity
services (word processor, spreadsheet, calendar, data
management--basically an office anywhere--for less
than $30 per month), Foldera's new organization/
collaboration online service (seems no charge for now).
And if the One Laptop One Child initiative really takes
off, there will be a huge infusion of new linux users
using mesh networking on the internet: what new
ideas will emerge from them?
    All of the above threatens Microsoft's hold on the
market: significantly, its paradigms for use are
challenged.
    For sure there's a sea change coming, and news of
Linux on the cell CPU may portend something.

On Jun 13, 2006, at 12:10 PM, Ida A Momtaheni wrote:

> Hello,
>
>  I would like to post the information below about the PA Technical  
> Briefing below to your website please.
>
> Cell BE programming and extensions to Linux
>
>  Link to Website:  
> http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/offers/techbriefings/details/ 
> powerarch.html?S_TACT=106AH59W&S_CMP=LPTCHBRF&ca=dgr-lnxUG016Cell-BE- 
> Briefing
>
>  Join us while we explore the details of Cell Broadband Engine (Cell  
> BE) programming. This Tech briefing provides a comprehensive technical  
> overview of the Cell BE architecture, programming models, and software  
> development environment. You will learn all about Cell BE standards  
> like the application binary interface specifications, SPE C/C++  
> language extensions, SPE assembly language specification, system-level  
> simulator, Cell BE simulator debugging environment, and Cell BE  
> extensions to Linux.
>
>  Thanks,
>
>  Ida Momtaheni
>  developerWorks
>
>  IBM Corporation
>  425 Market St.
>  San Francisco, CA 94105
>  iamomtah at us.ibm.com
> _______________________________________________
> sf-lug mailing list
> sf-lug at linuxmafia.com
> http://linuxmafia.com/mailman/listinfo/sf-lug
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