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View Full Version : The future of ubuntu and linux software with the introduction of APU's?



Kenjitamura
January 7th, 2011, 05:37 PM
I'm trying to get a grasp on the APU infrastructure and what it will mean for the future of specialized programs and OS capabilities. Intel has previously released a cpu with an IGP built onto the same die but it's not the same concept as Fusion where
The basic block diagram of a Fusion APU puts a graphics engine on one side, a processor, or processors, on the other and between them a bus and memory controller. Both sides share the system resources depending on the job in hand.
Instead of thinking of two discrete data processors doing two jobs, we have a single unit programmed as one, with operations piped down the most suitable route. GPUs are only specialised CPUs after all.

AMD has already released these processors to manufacturers with the dm1 coming out January 9. What I'm wondering is how this'll affect future flavors of ubuntu and it's software being developed. AMD is making such declarations as:

We believe that AMD Fusion processors are, quite simply, the greatest advancement in processing since the introduction of the x86 architecture more than forty years ago
What caught my attention most was that AMD blogged on their Fusion section they are already working with a company called Corel to design a video editing suite that when combined with an APU can use drastically lower computer specs needed to seemlessly edit video with effects applied in real time.
Of course the Zacate that uses a 40nm production process, has a severe bottleneck sharing cpu's and a gpu across single channel DDR3-1333 ram, and only a slight improvement over the atom in processing power doesn't seem that great. However even the llano which'll come out later this year and uses 32nm Phenom II cores in a fusion process will be a significant improvement in a short time. It looks like windows program developers are getting a jump on creating APU specialized programs but how will linux respond?
Was just asking all this because ubuntu remains and will continue to remain my OS of choice and would love to hear that ubuntu will continue to be a very competitive OS to windows.

tripolitan
January 7th, 2011, 07:13 PM
Yes, developers for operating systems with huge financial back up will always have an advantage, in such cases.

Corel is a graphics suites company that supports Mac and Windows, there is simply nothing in it for them to even attempt to support anything under any version of GNU/Linux, there is just no money in it for them, same with other companies taking advantage of new technologies.

Having said that, I don't think it matters much in the case of APUs, perhaps this is a GIMP concern, as opposed to GNU/Linux or even Canonical...

cariboo
January 7th, 2011, 07:17 PM
This isn't a support thread, moved to the Cafe.

krapp
April 26th, 2011, 08:01 AM
Anybody had a chance to put some Linux and an AMD Fusion chip together?

How does it run? Well I hope as I'm tempted by these new netbooks.