Check out the publication list in Siggraph 2003. There is a whole section named "Computation on GPUs" (papers listed below). And the papers for Siggraph 2004 should be out shortly.
If you have a matrix solver, there is no telling what you can do. And i remember, these papers show that the speed is faster than the matrix calculations of the same stuff using the CPU.
# Linear Algebra Operators for GPU Implementation of Numerical Algorithms
Jens Krüger, Rüdiger Westermann
# Sparse Matrix Solvers on the GPU: Conjugate Gradients and Multigrid
Jeff Bolz, Ian Farmer, Eitan Grinspun, Peter Schröder
# Nonlinear Optimization Framework for Image-Based Modeling on Programmable Graphics Hardware
Karl E. Hillesland, Sergey Molinov, Radek Grzeszczuk
Centuries ago, a small % of upper-caste folks oppressed the large % of lower-caste people. After independence, when the more oppurtunities for education/work became available, the upper-caste families had a head start because they were already better educated/employed/informed. So, the % of upper-caste comprising today's middle-and-upper-class is higher than the % of upper-caste in the whole population.
Affirmative action is strictly followed by public institutions (like universities and govt organizations.) It is easier for somebody from a lower-caste to get admitted to univs and get promoted in jobs in the govt institutions. That's because there are not enough lower-caste people competing for the reserved positions; and the competition for the open positions is cut-throat. Goes to show that the lower-caste population is still lagging statistically.
The population of India being more than 1 billion, there would be plenty of exceptions-- there are many poor upper-caste people and lots of rich/powerful families are from lower castes. Most notably, govts in many states are by political parties representing the lower-castes.
Private companies do not care-- they will hire you based on your qualifications. Most people in urban areas won't care either, until it is time to marry off their kids.
This site gives a good overview of the caste system in modern India.
I have collaborated with NASA scientists, and you would be surprised how difficult it is for me (not being a NASA employee) to get the code written on NASA machines, even for the same project! They have to go thru a lot of (and i guess, agonizing) paperwork before they release any NASA-grown software. It has been easier for me (and them) to reinvent the wheel more than once at my lab.
For those wondering about the software produced, they employ folks from all branches of knowledge. Except finance, me thinks.
Never had thought of it this way...but yes, if India (or any other 3rd world country) was not left behind in the last few centuries, then we would not have had any outsourcing. Ah, the irony...
Just wondering, why did this news not make front page on BBC online?
Unlike many other news organizations (in the UK and around the world), BBC prides itself in unbiased reporting (as opposed to patriotic reporting with one eye closed). Just look at the David Kelly episode.
I love Bollywood movies, but why are they sooooooooooooo looooong?
Why don't the characters kiss on the mouth?
Virtually every Bollywood film is a musical. Why do the characters have to sing and dance?
The movies are musicals, but the actors don't sing; they lip-synch to songs previously recorded by playback singers. How come?
Why can't they dance?
Another touchy question: Why are the actors usually light-skinned, even in films from Southern India?
What's with those kooky credits?
A lot of Bollywood movies bear a suspicious resemblance to earlier Hollywood movies. What's the Hindi word for "plagiarism"?
Throughout the 90s, India produced something like 1,000 movies a year, with "only" about 200 coming from Mumbai / Bombay / Bollywood. What about the other 800?
I hear the voice of the Bollywood novice: "OK, you've browbeaten us into a mild interest in Indian film. So where can I get them?"
I have always thought that it is difficult to capture subtleties on film. And it does show in the first two films...there is a lot going on in Frodo's mind (that's written in the books), but the movies fail to depict much except that blazing red eye.
In short, i think Jackson might be right in showing an increased tension...at least it will get to the viewers who have not read the books.
Did a quick search on google. This might be more information that you want, so just check out the figures. They give a pretty good idea about the ray-tracing process, which is the after picture.
The before picture is probably surface rendering, which does not take into account the recursive light travel (figure 4 and 5). It is conceptually similar to ray-casting (figure 3). But the process used is different, though and not the same shown in figure 3.
If you look again in the after picture, you will see reflections of the table on the monkey. This is not possible with plain surface rendering, but can be simulated with more complicated methods.
Before and after pics - a graphics point of view
on
Blender Adds Raytracing
·
· Score: 4, Informative
Comparing the before and after pics is like an apples-to-oranges comparison. It is technically not "before and after". It should instead be called xyz rendering and ray-tracing. Depending on what the xyz rendering method is, the picture quality will vary. The reflections etc. that can be seen in the ray-tracing image can be reproduced (not exactly, though) using methods like environment maps.
I am not trying to put down the quality of ray-tracing though, it is the best. Others try to simulate ray-tracing. But folks rarely use ray-tracing in interactive settings (like gaming). Unless you can play at less than 1 fps.
including her own adviser, who said the work contained "serious mistakes, which I think any educated mathematician can easily see."...
We know geniuses tend to be social geeks, but getting that from your own adviser while you are still doing you PhD...wow! Good luck with that PhD!!
Apparently...
Slashdot requires you to wait 20 seconds between hitting 'reply' and submitting a comment.
It's been 18 seconds since you hit 'reply'!
Jeez!!
The article was based on a single persons account. Moreover, like in the US these days, you cannot get jobs JUST be talking over the phone. If he tried just a little bit harder, like go thru somebody who has contacts in India, go to a head hunter etc, he would certaintly have got a fair deal.
Recently, there was an article in one of the Indian newpapers about people from Europe working in New Delhi. I will post it here if can find it.
In short, if you are TRULY interested, you CAN get a job there.
So, if i understand you properly -- you want Walmart to sell Chinese boots in India, and to sell Indian textiles in China.:-)
Seriously though, don't forget the steel tarrifs and agriculture subsidies US uses to protect its own industries. Farmers in Africa starve because they cannot sell their crop at a regular price. The farmers in the US are able to undercut their competitors all over the world becuase of the subsidies.
And yes, India and China have their own protectionist policies...lets see who cracks first. I would not bet on China.
Slashdot Mirror
If you have a matrix solver, there is no telling what you can do. And i remember, these papers show that the speed is faster than the matrix calculations of the same stuff using the CPU.
# Linear Algebra Operators for GPU Implementation of Numerical Algorithms
Jens Krüger, Rüdiger Westermann
# Sparse Matrix Solvers on the GPU: Conjugate Gradients and Multigrid
Jeff Bolz, Ian Farmer, Eitan Grinspun, Peter Schröder
# Nonlinear Optimization Framework for Image-Based Modeling on Programmable Graphics Hardware
Karl E. Hillesland, Sergey Molinov, Radek Grzeszczuk
Affirmative action is strictly followed by public institutions (like universities and govt organizations.) It is easier for somebody from a lower-caste to get admitted to univs and get promoted in jobs in the govt institutions. That's because there are not enough lower-caste people competing for the reserved positions; and the competition for the open positions is cut-throat. Goes to show that the lower-caste population is still lagging statistically.
The population of India being more than 1 billion, there would be plenty of exceptions-- there are many poor upper-caste people and lots of rich/powerful families are from lower castes. Most notably, govts in many states are by political parties representing the lower-castes.
Private companies do not care-- they will hire you based on your qualifications. Most people in urban areas won't care either, until it is time to marry off their kids.
This site gives a good overview of the caste system in modern India.
Indian Govt: Noooo, please...We already have more than 1 billion here.
For those wondering about the software produced, they employ folks from all branches of knowledge. Except finance, me thinks.
Never had thought of it this way...but yes, if India (or any other 3rd world country) was not left behind in the last few centuries, then we would not have had any outsourcing. Ah, the irony...
WTF!!
When/where was this incident? Anybody?
Unlike many other news organizations (in the UK and around the world), BBC prides itself in unbiased reporting (as opposed to patriotic reporting with one eye closed). Just look at the David Kelly episode.
FAQs
Try his other article too.
Interesting observations from a westerner about Indian movies.
The Boss (to Wally):
Our competitors found a way to send broadband internet traffic over the power grid.
The Boss (to Wally):
I want to you find a way to send data over the sewer system.
Wally (thinking):
I thought i was already doing it.
----------
Btw, i am curious. If only the text is reproduced (like i just did), is it a violation of the copyright? What if i told this to somebody?
In short, i think Jackson might be right in showing an increased tension...at least it will get to the viewers who have not read the books.
The before picture is probably surface rendering, which does not take into account the recursive light travel (figure 4 and 5). It is conceptually similar to ray-casting (figure 3). But the process used is different, though and not the same shown in figure 3.
If you look again in the after picture, you will see reflections of the table on the monkey. This is not possible with plain surface rendering, but can be simulated with more complicated methods.
My point exactly. I am guessing the usual surface rendering using z-buffer.
You mean in a format that can be input to POV?
I am not trying to put down the quality of ray-tracing though, it is the best. Others try to simulate ray-tracing. But folks rarely use ray-tracing in interactive settings (like gaming). Unless you can play at less than 1 fps.
including her own adviser, who said the work contained "serious mistakes, which I think any educated mathematician can easily see."...
We know geniuses tend to be social geeks, but getting that from your own adviser while you are still doing you PhD...wow! Good luck with that PhD!!
You're right. I saw it on PBS.
Nova has made a nice documentary abt this.
Cat got your tongue? (something important seems to be missing from your comment ... like the body or the subject!)
Yikes!
Apparently ...
Slashdot requires you to wait 20 seconds between hitting 'reply' and submitting a comment.
It's been 18 seconds since you hit 'reply'!
Jeez!!
Work
Andreas,
holy #&@%$!!!!
Recently, there was an article in one of the Indian newpapers about people from Europe working in New Delhi. I will post it here if can find it.
In short, if you are TRULY interested, you CAN get a job there.
Seriously though, don't forget the steel tarrifs and agriculture subsidies US uses to protect its own industries. Farmers in Africa starve because they cannot sell their crop at a regular price. The farmers in the US are able to undercut their competitors all over the world becuase of the subsidies.
And yes, India and China have their own protectionist policies...lets see who cracks first. I would not bet on China.
I am assuming you tried. Which Indian language did you learn to be able to communicate?
Forget the employees...these high tech companies do care about their machines...which is why they pay top $ to keep them cool.
Or, there are morons who can learn from their mistakes.
Either way, can't complain.