[Beowulf] newbie

[Mike Davis]

John Hearns wrote:
> A commercial compiler - Intel / Pathscale /Portland will always give
> you better performance from an application.
> The guys who work on those compilers care about optimization.
>
>   
While I agree with this generality, generally. It is not always true 
Specific software may actually run faster with GCC than with a 
"optimized" compiler. We saw several instances of this on the Apple 
cluster with GCC 4 vs. Absoft.

Also, a particular code may run much better with one "optimized" 
compiler than another. I have some that require PGI to run at all. Some 
that run faster with PGI. And, others run better with Intel tham PGI.

-- 
Mike Davis			Technical Director
(804) 828-3885			Center for High Performance Computing
jmdavis1 at vcu.edu		Virginia Commonwealth University

"Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity."  George S. Patton