Hi all, to get things moving again after a short hiatus, I propose four things:
************ AN FAQ ************** I'd like to have accessible on our website a shiny new FAQ. As MPIR is a library, i.e. primarily aimed at other developers, I'd like to have the FAQ focus on MPIR development and how people can contribute. In particular I'd like to answer a lot of questions which people have asked on and off list about the direction MPIR is heading, and some of the key benefits of the MPIR package (we are developing support for parallelism, we support Windows MSVC, we test on OSX (64 bit for now) and Solaris). I'd also like to aim to answer the many questions prospective developers have about how to contribute. So far two ways have become popular. The core developers have been happily using svn. Numerous others have offered code on the google group files upload section. We should officially recognise both. But we also have a GIT repository, and I'd like to encourage people to contribute via that, who feel more comfortable with distributed revision control. Do people have questions they'd like answered? Let's make a start here at this post. I'm willing to put in some hours to begin writing this. Who'd like to help? ************* SKIP MPIR 1.2.2 : LET'S START ON MPIR 1.3!! *************** (Because major releases are more fun. :-) ) I propose we ditch the 1.2.2 release, which was slated to contain Robert Gerbicz's fast root test code. It still remains a priority to get this in, and I have rewritten most of what he submitted in mpn format. But we need numerous other functions implemented at the mpn level before this code will work. So let's not hold up development on account of some artificial requirement that this be done before the very next release. Instead we should go straight to version 1.3. I think it is actually possible to include crude parallel support in this version with a configure option --enable-mt, though some things like tuning code may be broken for now. The test code will have to be fixed though. Alternatively we can refocus on further core development, such as writing mulmid_basecase in assembly and getting David Harvey's superb new middle product code in, on improving Toom 3 further, and faster extended GCD and GCD. I also think we should include better development documentation. There is already documentation about how to add files to MPIR and have them build. But a nice pdf file accessible from the webpage called MPIR Development would be really nice, explaining the nuts and bolts to potential developers, particularly with respect to mpn level coding. But let's put in version 1.3 whatever is ready. ************** NEW BENCHMARK UTILITY **************** We should also release a new benchmark utility, which Brian has been working away on furiously. I would like to float the idea of not having an overall score, but merely scores for each section, Multiplication, Division, GCD, Real World Benchmarks. That way deciding on weighting factors is not important. To some developers 1 and 2 limb stuff is the most important thing, to others it is extended GCD, to others real world performance, to others, multiplication is the only thing which really matters. Actually a survey was done of the number of calls to mathematical operations in code and multiplication far and above accounted for the majority of such calls. Fast multiplication must remain the priority (though we should not fall behind in development in other areas either). Ultimately our benchmarks will have to measure per core performance. Multicore support is clearly the only way to beat Moore's law that is on the horizon. We must embrace it. ************** PUT THE GIT REPO ON THE WEBPAGE ********************* As mentioned, let's get the GIT repo updated on the main website and start encouraging people to check it out. I'd also like to have an html commit log, similar to what the GMP project gets from its HG. It doesn't matter if that comes from svn or GIT, either way it is useful. I propose that the core devs (and anyone else interested) also get all commit messages emailed to them by default so that we can begin scrutinising each other's code more easily. ************** FORTNIGHTLY MPIR DIGEST **************** At least once a fortnight or ever three weeks we should have an MPIR digest which summarises what development has taken place, and what projects people can be involved in, also proposed improvements which others might like to volunteer to work on. This Digest would include a short Most Wanted list, of most wanted features. I volunteer to write the digest, though I'd be happy to share the responsibility with anyone. It will be posted to mpir-devel. Comments? Questions? Suggestions? Bill. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "mpir-devel" group. To post to this group, send email to mpir-devel@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to mpir-devel+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/mpir-devel?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
