X-Git-Url: http://git.csclub.uwaterloo.ca/?p=mspang%2Fwww.git;a=blobdiff_plain;f=events.xml;h=f09b0088ae0ca30b7400a8f2ca08f16d17b59eb5;hp=a4685895528b89a0f4bb93c4ad050aaa34556df5;hb=297bd9828964c687d39ce998db991eefb34cb9d6;hpb=d40b406107437039f2a524c352c29be697d9d073 diff --git a/events.xml b/events.xml index a468589..f09b008 100755 --- a/events.xml +++ b/events.xml @@ -953,46 +953,122 @@ lent to you for the duration of this class.
-The CSC, the KW-Linux User Group, and the UW Debian Interest Group + are jointly hosting a GNU/Linux InstallFest. GNU/Linux is a + powerful, free operating system for your computer. It is mostly + written by talented volunteers who like to share their efforts + and help each other.
+ +Perhaps you have are you interested in installing GNU/Linux. + If so, bring your computer, monitor and keyboard; and we will + help you install GNU/Linux on your machine. You can also find + knowledgable people who can answer your questions about + GNU/Linux.
+ +Q: What is GNU/Linux?
+A: GNU/Linux is a free operating system for your computer. It is mostly
+ written by talented volunteers who like to share their efforts.
+
Q: Free?
+A: GNU/Linux is available for zero-cost. As well, it allows you such
+ freedom to share it with your friends, or to modify the software to
+ your own needs and share that with your friends. It's very friendly.
+
Q: What is an InstallFest?
+A: An InstallFest is a meeting where volunteers help people install
+ GNU/Linux on their computers. It's also a place to meet users, and
+ talk to them about running GNU/Linux.
+
Q: What kind of computer do I need to use GNU/Linux?
+A: Almost any recent computer will do. If you have an old machine
+ kicking around, you can install GNU/Linux on it as well. If it is
+ at least 5 years old, it should be good enough.
+
Q: Can I have Windows and GNU/Linux on the same computer?
+A: If you can run Windows now, and you have an extra gigabyte (GB) of
+ disk space to spare; then it should be possible.
+
Q: What should I bring if I want to install GNU/Linux?
+A: You will want to bring:
+Modern graphics accelerators, or "GPUs", have embedded high-performance +programmable components in the form of vertex and fragment shading units. +Recently, these units have evolved from 8-bit computations to floating-point, +and other operations provide array gather, scatter, and summation. +These capabilities make GPUs akin to array processors of the +past, but with a difference: every PC now has one! I am interested +in finding the best way to exploit this computational capacity for not +only graphics but for general-purpose computation. +
+Current APIs permit specification of the programs for GPUs +using an assembly-language level interface. Compilers for high-level +shading languages are available, such as NVIDIA's Cg, and OpenGL 2.0 and +DirectX will also include standardized shading languages. This talk will +review these. However, compilers for these languages read in an external +string specification, which can be inconvenient. +
+However, it is possible, using standard C++, to define a high-level +shading language directly in the API. Such a language can be nearly +indistinguishable from a special-purpose programming language, yet +permits more direct interaction with the specification of textures +(arrays) and parameters, simplifies implementation, and enables +on-the-fly generation, manipulation, and specialization of shader programs. +A shading language built into the API also permits the lifting of +C++ host language type, modularity, and scoping constructs into the shading +language without any additional implementation effort. Such an +embedded language could be used to program other embedded processors +(such as DSP chips in sound cards) or even to generate machine language +on the fly for the host CPU. +
+This whirlwind talk is aimed at providing an overview of the +GNU/Linux port for the HP PARISC processor. The talk will focus on +the "intricacies" of the processor, and in particular the +implementations of the Linux kernel and GNU Libc. After the talk +you should be acutely aware of how little code needs to be written +to support a new architecture! Carlos has been working on the port +for two years, and enjoying the fruits of his labour on a 46-node +PARISC cluster.
+ ++Carlos is currently in his 5th year of study at the University +of Western Ontario. This is his last year in a concurrent +Computer Engineering and Computer Science degree. His research +interest range from distributed and parallel systems to low +level optimized hardware design. He likes playing guitar and +just bought a Cort NTL-20, jumbo body, solid spurce top with +a mahogany back. Carlos hacks on the PARISC Linux kernel, GNU libc, +GNU Debugger, GNU Binutils and various Debian packages. +
+ + +Neal Walfield, a GNU Hurd developer, is from the University of Massachusettsi +
Neal Walfield, a GNU Hurd developer, is from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Neal spent the summer of 2002 at University of Karlsruhe working -on ported the GNU Hurd to L4.
+on porting the GNU Hurd to L4.+ Do you ever wonder what java is doing while you wait? Have you ever used +Modula-3? Do you wonder how lazily you can Mark and Sweep? Would you like to +know how to Stop-and-Copy? +
+ Come out to this talk and learn these things and more. No prior knowledge of +Garbage Collection or memory management is needed. +
+