Re: [boost] [simd] Hardware support

Subject: Re: [boost] [simd] Hardware support
From: Niall Douglas (s_sourceforge_at_[hidden])
Date: 2017-04-08 13:01:49

>>> Boost.SIMD only supports x86.
>>>
>>> Are there plans for ARM NEON and/or MIPS SIMD?
>>
>> Other platforms are supported in the proprietary version of the library.
>> https://developer.numscale.com/bsimd/documentation/v1.17.3.0/
> 
> Will those be eventually included in Boost.SIMD, if it's accepted into
> Boost?
> 
> This is an important point, IMO, and it should be clarified before
> review. If there are no plans to improve Boost.SIMD in order not to harm
> the commercial version then that makes Boost.SIMD significantly less
> attractive. Personally, I would vote for rejection in this case.

I am sympathetic to this opinion.

But strictly speaking Boost libraries if they work without error on some
architecture, rather than being optimal on some architecture, then that
is good enough for the portability requirement.

Now, as to whether the Boost edition of the library is a loss leader for
the commercial edition ... again, I am sympathetic, but if the library
as presented is useful to a majority of people (and indeed a majority
are on Intel), then I think it must be allowable.

I certainly don't think a rejection just because of either of these two
features is right. The library as presented should be judged as
presented. Whether stuff is being held back or not shouldn't matter.

Down the line, I hope to have some of my Boost libraries come with an
open source edition with acceptable performance and guarantees, and
commercial editions with much superior performance and guarantees. I
think this would be a healthy development for Boost, if not pushed into
silliness.

Niall

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