parallel_sort problem fixed

My problem with crashing programs using TBB has been solved. Alexey Kukanov replied to my question explaining that because I use TBB 2.1, thus I have to explicitly initialise the task scheduler. Without this initialization, no context (root) for tasks is created, so no tasks possible.

Simply, I was reading latest manual which was generated for TBB 2.2 (available in Ubuntu 10.04), so I missed this legacy requirement. In TBB 2.2 and later, the initialization is optional:

Using task_scheduler_init is optional in Intel? TBB 2.2. By default, Intel? TBB 2.2 automatically creates a task scheduler the first time that a thread uses task scheduling services and destroys it when the last such thread exits.

Correct version of the example program should look as follows:

#include <tbb/task_scheduler_init.h>
#include <tbb/parallel_sort.h>
#include <cmath>
#include <vector>
using namespace tbb;
int main()
{
    task_scheduler_init tbb_init; // automatic

    const int n = 100000;
    std::vector<double> a(n);
    for (int i = 0; i< n; i++)
    {
        a[i] = std::sin(double(i));
    }
    parallel_sort(a.begin(), a.end());
}

Boost.Polygon library accepted into Boost

Boost C++ Libraries Continuing today’s topic of computational geometry, I’m happy to forward one more news from the Boost Community. On November 5th, 2009, after conducting the process of formal review, Fernando Cacciola – the review manager – announced that Boost C++ Libraries officially accepted Boost.Polygon library to its collection. The Boost.Polygon is developed by Lucanus Simonson with support by Intel Corporation.

See Fernando’s message Boost.Polygon library accepted into boost.

I suppose it will be released in Boost version following the upcoming 1.41.0.

Mac Pro collocation wanted

Don't ask what OSGeo can do for you, ask what you can do for OSGeoToday, I sent a post to OSGeo Discuss mailing list asking for help with finding new home for my Mac Pro workstation. I’m trying to use all possible channels to spread my call, so here we go:

Folks,

I have a pretty powerful workstation that I’d like to connect to OSGeo infrastructure, somehow. It is: Mac Pro:

  • 2 x Intel Xeon 2.66GHz (5150, “Woodcrest”, dual core)
  • 16 GB RAM
  • 1.5 TB HDD

If I’ll manage to find a new home for my machine, I want to extend the RAM to 16 GB and get one or more TB of HDD.

I’m looking for possibility of collocation my machine somewhere in UK (not necessarily in London), so it can be permanently connected to OSGeo infrastructure. Unfortunately, I am not able to connect this machine from home and keep connected 24/7.

I would be delighted to make it available for OSGeo projects and their development purposes like Buildbot, scheduled builds, software testing, etc. The only personal use of this machine I would like to be able to do is…development and software testing of OSGeo software I work with plus I’d like to keep some personal backups there (disks are getting cheap, so it shouldn’t be a problem to extent to tens of TB in near future). OS X Leopard and license for Parallels VM software is included.

I tried to find collocation service in Poland or UK but prices like ~100 GBP/month are too high to pay for the purposes I’d like to dedicate my machine to.

So, if anyone knows a data centre in UK that would be interested in “rescuing” the wasted CPU cycles of my machine resting in the box please let me know. I think providing collocation could be a nice way to sponsor OSGeo by contributing this reasonably good hardware option :-)

Currently, the machine rests in box in my flat in Poland (I live in London, UK). If I find a place for it, I’ll ship it from PL to UK quickly.

A few pictures of the hardware:

Two Towers IMGP2541.JPG Make jobs benchmark building GDAL/OGR Isn't it beautiful? IMGP2533.JPG

Please, contact me if you can help!