Re:USELESS MARKS (vertex and per pixel shaders any
on
GeForce3 and Linux
·
· Score: 1
I realize that the card itself has a higher clockspeed than the GF2, but what I'm saying is that you can't just compare the GF3 and the GF2 benchmarks when it comes to the quality of the extensions.
The reason I specified those two new extensions specifically, is because they are the ones that people will notice dramatically. From a programmer's prespective all the new API calls kick ass, but I'm not expecting all slashdotters to keep up on nVidia's new extensions.
The GF3 is so cheap because of the market right now. nVidia needs to keep showing that they are moving inventory to stay on the upside of this turbulent market.
-----
P.S. I dig your site man!:)
USELESS MARKS (vertex and per pixel shaders any1?)
on
GeForce3 and Linux
·
· Score: 4
(in a win32 environmnet...)
PER-PIXEL SHADING :
What is per-pixel shading? It's a method of applying special rendering effects... per pixel. It allows material and real world effects to be applied individually to a pixel for more accuracy and intensity. Per-pixel shading will redefine the visual look and feel of imagery for PC graphics. Per-pixel shading has long been used in film production to create a more realistic and lifelike appearance for computer generated imagery. If you've seen Toy Story, you'll definitely remember Buzz Light-year. Remember the translucent reflection on Buzz's helmet? How the environment and light streaks reflected off the glass but also let the image underneath show through? That was done with per-pixel shading. Until now, it wasn't practical to use per-pixel shading on a PC because of the intense power and processing requirements needed. Sure, you could have done that in 3D Studio but could you have done it in real-time? Could the effect be applied to an entire frame at high resolution in 1/60th of a second? Not until now.
Per-pixel shading is useful for simulating natural phenomena and accurate surface attributes such as fur, cloth, metals, glass, rock, and other highly detailed surfaces.
Traditionally, effects were done on an entire triangle and sometimes an entire texture using a technique called interpolation. Special effects were done using calculations based on the vertices of the triangle and interpolating the entire area from the vertices. The end result is a generalized visual appearance... like an estimate or approximation of the final image. The key benefit of using interpolation is that it is fast and easy to apply. But, the downside to it is that with large triangles, the resulting image contains artifacts, which degrades overall image accuracy and quality.
Using per-pixel shading, effects and calculations are applied to individual pixels. Since the triangle will be composed of many pixels, the resulting image is highly accurate in representing what the image was intended to be. Let's assume that a generic triangle is drawn together (including its area) using 100 pixels. Now, we also have a effect pallet of 10 effects. Each pixel then, can accept any one of the ten that are available. That's an outcome of 10,000 different possible effects just for that one triangle. If interpolation was used, than the effect is fixed using that one out of ten effects and generalized across the entire triangle. Below is a visual comparison between interpolation and per-pixel shading.
PROGRAMMABLE PIXEL SHADERS :
The GeForce3 can handle four or more textures at a time. Logically, the GeForce3 would have to be able to handle them independantly to accomplish the "infinite" number of effects that Nvidia claims it is capable of doing. Besides juggling textures independantly, they are also able to apply effects to each texture independantly using the DirectX8 shader, as been said by Nvidia.
With the new engine, it is possible to have effects like a texture surface that's shiny, bumpy, and dynamically changing. Also, with the nfiniteFX engine (programmable pixel and vertex shaders), the developer can custom program the engine itself to do whatever they want it to do from an unlimited number combinations and permutations.
Once the texture combination calls are completed, there can be an unlimited number of combinations that you can do with the 8 texture blends. All of this wraps under the DirectX 8 pixel shaders.
MY DISPUTE :
Is that the drivers that Evil3d used weren't using any of the extra API calls. Given, they aren't out yet. But by disregarding these new features along with the GF3, it makes it look like it is just an overpriced GF2!
If anyone has seen the presentation that John Carmack made at MacWorld this year, he unveiled his next 1st-person shooter. It looks qutie realistic and not to mention it is full of these new API calls. (It isn't just wasted coding, it does have a purpose.)
I've always wondered why they ask you for your name and address whenever you go in to buy a pack of batteries. I'm sure Radioshack has a nice profile on the average slashdotter. Now, you can expect more than just junk mail.
Do you see comprehension and intelligence (not common sense) as arbitrary? I hope not. It's a decision that only the truely dedicated will make. As a college student in the California University system, I don't want my classes to be held to a slower pace due to the few who are just attending college because mommy and daddy say so.
Don't give me the bull about the underprivilaged not getting a chance either. In our system anyone can make their way into the best colleges, they just need the drive to do it. (Hell, that was me 10 years ago.)
If a high-school student cannot "buckle down" and endure a three hour test, then they are going to have troubles in college. I see it as the first of many "weeding out" classes that are ahead for them.
Not to mention that if a school's own academic standing is not up to par, ALL of the students are going to suffer for it! It doesn't matter that 17-year old Sally gets a 4.2 cumulative GPA, if Sally's high school may not be ranked in the top percentile.
Dropping the SAT requirement may take the initial weight off of the student's shoulders, yet, it's going to hurt more students in the end.
His story (and motives) aside, the state of linux is something to be proud of. As divided as the community exists, it has made large advances against the odds. Ergo, I believe we have gloating rights.
"(I'm also quite curious to see how the fervor-filled Linux community -- such as it is -- will behave as Linux continues evolving into being less and less the underdog. Will the zealots embrace and support the next worthy underdog, or gloat about how l337 they have become?)"
In my opinion... YES!:)
Does anyone remember the whole SETI@HOME PCI card fiasco? This article is almost of the same caliber. I think I'm going to jump on the boat with all the skeptics.
Walking across campus, people on cell phones can't even walk to their car without running into things. So does anyone think (if this hits the masses) that the average Joe will have enough coordination to walk, and use these incorporated systems at the same time??... It wouldn't surprise me to see a form of insurance either geared towards this new style of gear.
If the RIAA's calculations were correct, record sales this year would have plummetted to practically nothing. Yet, these past 9 months have already surpassed any previous year in actual revenue.
Would you be complaining?
I'm astonished that his disclaimer on this do0ds site didn't work for him.:)
Ex. <i>Welcome</i>... *yadda*yadda*...<i> don't sue me</i>... *blah*blah*...<i> unless I have given you an account personally, you do not have permission</i>...
These younger administrators place their legality in this phrase. I wouldn't be surprised if they gave away their first born in a disclaimer.
Heres my outlook on the situation: I think this is a carbon copy of the drug reality. The government can spend billions and billions of dollars trying to stop everyone from buying/using/transporting these drugs, but in the end, the government will not win. It is just a show to put on for the voters so they can say they are "trying." (waste of money if you ask me) Its the same thing with the RIAA, and artists like Metallica. (Do they really need more money) Not to say that what we and others are doing isn't "right," but they are getting screwed... who knows.
Slashdot Mirror
The reason I specified those two new extensions specifically, is because they are the ones that people will notice dramatically. From a programmer's prespective all the new API calls kick ass, but I'm not expecting all slashdotters to keep up on nVidia's new extensions. The GF3 is so cheap because of the market right now. nVidia needs to keep showing that they are moving inventory to stay on the upside of this turbulent market. ----- P.S. I dig your site man! :)
PER-PIXEL SHADING : What is per-pixel shading? It's a method of applying special rendering effects... per pixel. It allows material and real world effects to be applied individually to a pixel for more accuracy and intensity. Per-pixel shading will redefine the visual look and feel of imagery for PC graphics. Per-pixel shading has long been used in film production to create a more realistic and lifelike appearance for computer generated imagery. If you've seen Toy Story, you'll definitely remember Buzz Light-year. Remember the translucent reflection on Buzz's helmet? How the environment and light streaks reflected off the glass but also let the image underneath show through? That was done with per-pixel shading. Until now, it wasn't practical to use per-pixel shading on a PC because of the intense power and processing requirements needed. Sure, you could have done that in 3D Studio but could you have done it in real-time? Could the effect be applied to an entire frame at high resolution in 1/60th of a second? Not until now.
Per-pixel shading is useful for simulating natural phenomena and accurate surface attributes such as fur, cloth, metals, glass, rock, and other highly detailed surfaces. Traditionally, effects were done on an entire triangle and sometimes an entire texture using a technique called interpolation. Special effects were done using calculations based on the vertices of the triangle and interpolating the entire area from the vertices. The end result is a generalized visual appearance... like an estimate or approximation of the final image. The key benefit of using interpolation is that it is fast and easy to apply. But, the downside to it is that with large triangles, the resulting image contains artifacts, which degrades overall image accuracy and quality.
Using per-pixel shading, effects and calculations are applied to individual pixels. Since the triangle will be composed of many pixels, the resulting image is highly accurate in representing what the image was intended to be. Let's assume that a generic triangle is drawn together (including its area) using 100 pixels. Now, we also have a effect pallet of 10 effects. Each pixel then, can accept any one of the ten that are available. That's an outcome of 10,000 different possible effects just for that one triangle. If interpolation was used, than the effect is fixed using that one out of ten effects and generalized across the entire triangle. Below is a visual comparison between interpolation and per-pixel shading.
PROGRAMMABLE PIXEL SHADERS : The GeForce3 can handle four or more textures at a time. Logically, the GeForce3 would have to be able to handle them independantly to accomplish the "infinite" number of effects that Nvidia claims it is capable of doing. Besides juggling textures independantly, they are also able to apply effects to each texture independantly using the DirectX8 shader, as been said by Nvidia.
With the new engine, it is possible to have effects like a texture surface that's shiny, bumpy, and dynamically changing. Also, with the nfiniteFX engine (programmable pixel and vertex shaders), the developer can custom program the engine itself to do whatever they want it to do from an unlimited number combinations and permutations.
Once the texture combination calls are completed, there can be an unlimited number of combinations that you can do with the 8 texture blends. All of this wraps under the DirectX 8 pixel shaders.
MY DISPUTE : Is that the drivers that Evil3d used weren't using any of the extra API calls. Given, they aren't out yet. But by disregarding these new features along with the GF3, it makes it look like it is just an overpriced GF2!
If anyone has seen the presentation that John Carmack made at MacWorld this year, he unveiled his next 1st-person shooter. It looks qutie realistic and not to mention it is full of these new API calls. (It isn't just wasted coding, it does have a purpose.)
I've always wondered why they ask you for your name and address whenever you go in to buy a pack of batteries. I'm sure Radioshack has a nice profile on the average slashdotter. Now, you can expect more than just junk mail.
Do you see comprehension and intelligence (not common sense) as arbitrary? I hope not. It's a decision that only the truely dedicated will make. As a college student in the California University system, I don't want my classes to be held to a slower pace due to the few who are just attending college because mommy and daddy say so. Don't give me the bull about the underprivilaged not getting a chance either. In our system anyone can make their way into the best colleges, they just need the drive to do it. (Hell, that was me 10 years ago.)
If a high-school student cannot "buckle down" and endure a three hour test, then they are going to have troubles in college. I see it as the first of many "weeding out" classes that are ahead for them. Not to mention that if a school's own academic standing is not up to par, ALL of the students are going to suffer for it! It doesn't matter that 17-year old Sally gets a 4.2 cumulative GPA, if Sally's high school may not be ranked in the top percentile. Dropping the SAT requirement may take the initial weight off of the student's shoulders, yet, it's going to hurt more students in the end.
Do I have to point out Microsoft's track record for being the most reliable system ever? I might as well. :)
His story (and motives) aside, the state of linux is something to be proud of. As divided as the community exists, it has made large advances against the odds. Ergo, I believe we have gloating rights.
"(I'm also quite curious to see how the fervor-filled Linux community -- such as it is -- will behave as Linux continues evolving into being less and less the underdog. Will the zealots embrace and support the next worthy underdog, or gloat about how l337 they have become?)" In my opinion... YES! :)
If you have an overclocked system, the extra air flow you can get by bundling the IDE cable will be a nice surprise.
Does anyone remember the whole SETI@HOME PCI card fiasco? This article is almost of the same caliber. I think I'm going to jump on the boat with all the skeptics.
Walking across campus, people on cell phones can't even walk to their car without running into things. So does anyone think (if this hits the masses) that the average Joe will have enough coordination to walk, and use these incorporated systems at the same time??... It wouldn't surprise me to see a form of insurance either geared towards this new style of gear.
If the RIAA's calculations were correct, record sales this year would have plummetted to practically nothing. Yet, these past 9 months have already surpassed any previous year in actual revenue. Would you be complaining?
Shoot, knowing my luck the vacuum/emf environment would be comprimised by one florine atom, and then I would just have a worthless neon atom.
I'm astonished that his disclaimer on this do0ds site didn't work for him. :)
Ex. <i>Welcome</i>... *yadda*yadda*...<i> don't sue me</i>... *blah*blah*...<i> unless I have given you an account personally, you do not have permission</i>...
These younger administrators place their legality in this phrase. I wouldn't be surprised if they gave away their first born in a disclaimer.
Heres my outlook on the situation: I think this is a carbon copy of the drug reality. The government can spend billions and billions of dollars trying to stop everyone from buying/using/transporting these drugs, but in the end, the government will not win. It is just a show to put on for the voters so they can say they are "trying." (waste of money if you ask me) Its the same thing with the RIAA, and artists like Metallica. (Do they really need more money) Not to say that what we and others are doing isn't "right," but they are getting screwed... who knows.