AltiVec in the kernel

[Paul Mackerras]

Linas Vepstas writes:

> But perhaps, in principle, couldn't one run four independent streams 
> in parallel?  Thus, for example, on an SSL-enabled web server, one 
> could service multiple encryption/decryption threads at once. 

Generally that would work.  If one had 4 separate streams to compute a
SHA1 of, one could do all 4 at once with altivec.  It would have to be
4 separate streams though, not 4 parts of a single stream.

> As to non-kernel applications, is there anything for GMP (the 
> Gnu Multi-Precision library, an arbitrary-precision math library)
> on the Altivec? How aout the Cell?

I don't really know, sorry.

Paul.