China CPU Architecture

[piasabird]

I put this in General because it has more to do with general computer architecture. However, there was an article on Toms Hardware that intimated that China may have plans to build its own CPU and Computer technology infrastructure. Source is Extreme Tech

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/china-cpu-processor-Architecture-unified,15469.html

So do you think China will try to become the next Intel of Asia? I think a lot of this is speculation. However, I could see it happening with a lot of technology comanies already having a presence in Taiwan and China. China says they may want to build an infrastructure that is designed and led by China and not the west. However, in reality,it seems that most western companies are already infused with many technical experts from Asia and taiwan today.

Still others have tried to compeat with intel like IBM, Via, AMD, ARM. It is not easy to steal market share from Intel in the free market countries. This is where China could have an advantage. China could close the door on the west and just use what they want. If they control what chinese can buy, then they could have control of the large Chinese Market or at least have an advantage that the west would not. They might also be able to control costs.

Good luck to them. Cant wait for the China Core 1000.

 

[DesiPower]

The only advantage will be the lack of R&D, they don't have to spend anything, that will give them a huge advantage.

 

[krnmastersgt]

Nothing pads the bottom line quite like guaranteed market share, and thusly free reign over pricing.

That aside this seems like a really dumb move to be honest, while it may help bolster their own companies like UPU, in the long run it'll probably damage and hinder them more on the international commerce stage. For a country evolving into a super-power, taking such a tremendous step back seems like quite a bad idea.

 

[bononos]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loongson I first read about the Chinese 'dragon' processor in 2008/9 in Max PC but it looks like the Loongson era started in 2002. Its not an x86 cpu and has to emulate x86 - to avoid having to license from US.

Nothing pads the bottom line quite like guaranteed market share, and thusly free reign over pricing.

That aside this seems like a really dumb move to be honest, while it may help bolster their own companies like UPU, in the long run it'll probably damage and hinder them more on the international commerce stage. For a country evolving into a super-power, taking such a tremendous step back seems like quite a bad idea.

Every western country including the US was protectionist and nurtured indigenous industries to develop their economies. Even today the US govt supports R&D incl chip manufacturing R&D thru the backdoor via military contracts and the security black budget.
Its practically a given that China would start up its own state or state supported cpu manufacturing company.

 

[krnmastersgt]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loongson I first read about the Chinese 'dragon' processor in 2008/9 in Max PC but it looks like the Loongson era started in 2002. Its not an x86 cpu and has to emulate x86 - to avoid having to license from US.

Every western country including the US was protectionist and nurtured indigenous industries to develop their economies. Even today the US govt supports R&D incl chip manufacturing R&D thru the backdoor via military contracts and the security black budget.
Its practically a given that China would start up its own state or state supported cpu manufacturing company.

They still do to a large degree, but through expensive tariffs or lots of subsidies to the companies within their own borders. However completely blocking out all trade with the outside does not normally lead to a good thing, for the country or the industry.

The US steel industry is a pretty good example, no one buys it except other US companies because European steel is cheaper. The US steel industry would more or less die out if not for the massive subsidies it receives from the government meaning this is just a continual drain on the government and leads to an industry that could be losing money in terms of operations + revenues but still look profitable and doesn't even do anything outside the US itself.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

Chinese will allow free reign over the price and also they won't be able to use x86 because they'll have to license.

 

[piasabird]

I think the Chinese would be at a disadvantage when it comes to developing their own architecture. They are good at stealing ideas and designs but not for much original thought. Still they have a lot of ingenuity. I like their electric wheel company (Golden Motor). I dont thing they have to totally redesign the wheel. It seems like they might just decide to say the hell with patents and just sell things inside of China. Either that or they may find ways to skirt around the issue.

 

[Cerb]

I put this in General because it has more to do with general computer architecture. However, there was an article on Toms Hardware that intimated that China may have plans to build its own CPU and Computer technology infrastructure. Source is Extreme Tech

UPU could be interesting, and offer superior performance, but it would be worth them considering the massive support that MIPS already has. I'm sure that a homegrown ISA taking into account all of the faults of RISC and CISC designs over the years, with none of the dogma, will be able to outperform tried and true ISAs and CPUs. But, that also means coming up with full sets of compiler, library, OS, and application support, from the bottom up, which will be no small task.

I think the Chinese would be at a disadvantage when it comes to developing their own architecture. They are good at stealing ideas and designs but not for much original thought.

How much original thought do they need? Intel (x86, i960) had original thought. Berkley (MIPS) had original thought. IBM (PPC) had original thought. DEC (Alpha) had original thought. Hitachi (SH) had original thought. Acorn (ARM) had original thought. Sony (MIPS combos, Cell) has had original thought. If they looked at where they excelled, and looked at where they faltered, compared to others, they won't need any original thought to come up with a great no-frills ISA. Application of original thought (creative synthesis of past ideas) has been taken care of by people in the U.S., California , Britain, Israel, and Japan.

The companies we use stuff from, like Intel, IBM, MIPS, ARM, and Renesas, have to make hard choices between breaking compatibility, or finding creative and clever ways to extend and circumvent their existing designs. With a clean break, and complete market control, none of that will apply.

Personally, though, I'm not sure they have what it takes, just thanks to government bureaucracy and corruption, to pull it off without basing it on existing platforms (like extending a MIPS Rwhatever).

 

[gevorg]

I think this is mostly a strategic/political move to be "independent" from US technology in the Chinese government and military sector, rather to be competitive with US semiconductor firms.

USSR had a similar goal too with their Elbrus computer, but after 1991, their main CPU architect and hundreds of engineers went to work for Intel Pentium.

 

[SillyOReilly]

The only advantage will be the lack of R&D, they don't have to spend anything, that will give them a huge advantage.

Right because R&D isn't of the utmost importance when dealing with the cutting edge of technology.

:whiste:

 

[DesiPower]

Right because R&D isn't of the utmost importance when dealing with the cutting edge of technology.

:whiste:

This is "General Hardware" so I will refrain from the profanity that you deserve, next time keep it to ATOT or P&N.

The reason is they don't develop technology, they steal or reverse engineer. Where there is no development, there is no R&D