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This Question Should Be An Easy One
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George Speight



Joined: 10 Mar 2006
Posts: 4549
PostPosted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 12:42 pm    Post subject: This Question Should Be An Easy One Reply to topic Reply with quote
I don't know much, but I know that with this computer i get the benefit of being able to use the SSE or SSE4 executables. And SSE stands for: "If it doesn't crash, use it."

So I know which choice to make there. But what if I am looking at a choice of an exe that says SSE or SSE4.2 and another exe that says Popcnt? I guess that is short for Popcount. But which choice do I make then- SSE or Popcnt? Rolling Eyes


Thanks,

george
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Louis Zulli



Joined: 08 Jan 2007
Posts: 2147
Location: PA USA
PostPosted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 12:50 pm    Post subject: Re: This Question Should Be An Easy One Reply to topic Reply with quote
geots wrote:
I don't know much, but I know that with this computer i get the benefit of being able to use the SSE or SSE4 executables. And SSE stands for: "If it doesn't crash, use it."

So I know which choice to make there. But what if I am looking at a choice of an exe that says SSE or SSE4.2 and another exe that says Popcnt? I guess that is short for Popcount. But which choice do I make then- SSE or Popcnt? Rolling Eyes


Thanks,

george


Choose the POPCNT exe. Then run it. If it crashes, then your cpu probably doesn't support the POPCNT instruction. But if your cpu supports SSE4.2, it likely supports POPCNT too.
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George Speight



Joined: 10 Mar 2006
Posts: 4549
PostPosted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 1:13 pm    Post subject: Re: This Question Should Be An Easy One Reply to topic Reply with quote
zullil wrote:
geots wrote:
I don't know much, but I know that with this computer i get the benefit of being able to use the SSE or SSE4 executables. And SSE stands for: "If it doesn't crash, use it."

So I know which choice to make there. But what if I am looking at a choice of an exe that says SSE or SSE4.2 and another exe that says Popcnt? I guess that is short for Popcount. But which choice do I make then- SSE or Popcnt? Rolling Eyes


Thanks,

george


Choose the POPCNT exe. Then run it. If it crashes, then your cpu probably doesn't support the POPCNT instruction. But if your cpu supports SSE4.2, it likely supports POPCNT too.



Thanks. I would love to know why popcount is better than SSE4.2- But since I don't know what either one means and it scares the shit out of me to even think about asking, I will just take your word for it and label them:
1.Popcnt.
2.SSE or SSE4.2
3.Normal (when nothing else works)


Thanks again,

george
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Vael Jean-Paul



Joined: 24 Apr 2008
Posts: 238
Location: Belgium
PostPosted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 1:14 pm    Post subject: Re: This Question Should Be An Easy One Reply to topic Reply with quote
Hi George,

If i have a question i search first on Google..most off the time i get my answer.

So,i just type SSE or/and SSE4.2 and i get this for example:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streaming_SIMD_Extensions
http://www.cpu-world.com/Glossary/S/SSE4.2.html
and..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SSE4

JP.
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Louis Zulli



Joined: 08 Jan 2007
Posts: 2147
Location: PA USA
PostPosted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 1:33 pm    Post subject: Re: This Question Should Be An Easy One Reply to topic Reply with quote
geots wrote:
zullil wrote:
geots wrote:
I don't know much, but I know that with this computer i get the benefit of being able to use the SSE or SSE4 executables. And SSE stands for: "If it doesn't crash, use it."

So I know which choice to make there. But what if I am looking at a choice of an exe that says SSE or SSE4.2 and another exe that says Popcnt? I guess that is short for Popcount. But which choice do I make then- SSE or Popcnt? Rolling Eyes


Thanks,

george


Choose the POPCNT exe. Then run it. If it crashes, then your cpu probably doesn't support the POPCNT instruction. But if your cpu supports SSE4.2, it likely supports POPCNT too.



Thanks. I would love to know why popcount is better than SSE4.2- But since I don't know what either one means and it scares the shit out of me to even think about asking, I will just take your word for it and label them:
1.Popcnt.
2.SSE or SSE4.2
3.Normal (when nothing else works)


Thanks again,

george


Technically, the POPCNT instruction is not part of the SSE4.2 instruction set. I don't know if there exists a cpu that supports SSE4.2 but not POPCNT. I also don't know if any true SSE4.2 instruction is useful for chess programming, but my guess is No. I have always assumed that, as far as chess programs are concerned, that SSE4.2 means the engine uses the hardware POPCNT instruction.

In any case, SSE and SSE4.2 are simply additional cpu instructions that offer greater functionality. Not scary in any way.
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Mike Scheidl



Joined: 09 Mar 2006
Posts: 1228
PostPosted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 2:09 pm    Post subject: Re: This Question Should Be An Easy One Reply to topic Reply with quote
The free tool CPU-Z will tell you which CPU you have exactly. Then, you can look up it's capabilities, somewhere on the net...

http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z/versions-history.html

(no install process required, just expand the zip to anywhere)

This program informs about the SSE level of support but unfortunately, not about POPCNT in particular. But otherwise, AFAIK it is a kind of musthave for CPU and other components identification.
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Regards, Mike
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George Speight



Joined: 10 Mar 2006
Posts: 4549
PostPosted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 2:13 pm    Post subject: Re: This Question Should Be An Easy One Reply to topic Reply with quote
zullil wrote:
geots wrote:
zullil wrote:
geots wrote:
I don't know much, but I know that with this computer i get the benefit of being able to use the SSE or SSE4 executables. And SSE stands for: "If it doesn't crash, use it."

So I know which choice to make there. But what if I am looking at a choice of an exe that says SSE or SSE4.2 and another exe that says Popcnt? I guess that is short for Popcount. But which choice do I make then- SSE or Popcnt? Rolling Eyes


Thanks,

george


Choose the POPCNT exe. Then run it. If it crashes, then your cpu probably doesn't support the POPCNT instruction. But if your cpu supports SSE4.2, it likely supports POPCNT too.



Thanks. I would love to know why popcount is better than SSE4.2- But since I don't know what either one means and it scares the shit out of me to even think about asking, I will just take your word for it and label them:
1.Popcnt.
2.SSE or SSE4.2
3.Normal (when nothing else works)


Thanks again,

george


Technically, the POPCNT instruction is not part of the SSE4.2 instruction set. I don't know if there exists a cpu that supports SSE4.2 but not POPCNT. I also don't know if any true SSE4.2 instruction is useful for chess programming, but my guess is No. I have always assumed that, as far as chess programs are concerned, that SSE4.2 means the engine uses the hardware POPCNT instruction.

In any case, SSE and SSE4.2 are simply additional cpu instructions that offer greater functionality. Not scary in any way.




Yea, but I knew what was coming if you explained. So now I realize you are a billion times smarter than me, not just a measly million. But this is what happens when you explain this kind of stuff to me> So Louis, I think you are saying that Popcnt actually is useful to a chess program. But SSE and/or SSE4.2 in your opinion is really not- except when SSE4.2 actually contains Popcnt- but we really don't know when it does or does not contain it. Hence why it is better to just use Popcnt when you see it as a choice. But, then if the above is true, then that has to mean that conversely Popcnt. must always contain SSE4.2 instructions. I am as serious as I can be. Once you started, that brought up my above questions. You see what I meant about giving me too much info and where it leads? I warned you. But it's too late to turn back now. PLEASE answer my above suppositions and tell me if I got even 1 right.

Sorry- what can I say. I gotta know or I can't get to sleep.
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George Speight



Joined: 10 Mar 2006
Posts: 4549
PostPosted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 2:17 pm    Post subject: Re: This Question Should Be An Easy One Reply to topic Reply with quote
jpqy wrote:
Hi George,

If i have a question i search first on Google..most off the time i get my answer.

So,i just type SSE or/and SSE4.2 and i get this for example:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streaming_SIMD_Extensions
http://www.cpu-world.com/Glossary/S/SSE4.2.html
and..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SSE4

JP.



Thanks Jean Paul. But the problem with that in this case is when I get an answer on google it has to be one I can understand. And half the words in the first sentence I would never have heard of.

Best,

george
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George Speight



Joined: 10 Mar 2006
Posts: 4549
PostPosted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 2:21 pm    Post subject: Re: This Question Should Be An Easy One Reply to topic Reply with quote
Mike S. wrote:
The free tool CPU-Z will tell you which CPU you have exactly. Then, you can look up it's capabilities, somewhere on the net...

http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z/versions-history.html

(no install process required, just expand the zip to anywhere)

This program informs about the SSE level of support but unfortunately, not about POPCNT in particular. But otherwise, AFAIK it is a kind of musthave for CPU and other components identification.



Thanks Mike, but this is what I meant scares me. I don't see the value of knowing my CPU, just in a sense I mean. All I need to know are the choices i have in order of best to least best, and just start with the best and work my way down till I find one that works. Is there a fault with that thinking I am missing.

gts
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George Speight



Joined: 10 Mar 2006
Posts: 4549
PostPosted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 2:26 pm    Post subject: Re: This Question Should Be An Easy One Reply to topic Reply with quote
Louis, please don't leave me like this. Where are you?!

gts
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