Talk:Vectorization
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Needs an example
- scalar program: for (i=0;i<10;i++) c[i]=a[i]+b[i]
and the equivalent vector version and how the vector version would run faster.
[edit] deleted to include the features of modern SIMD architectures
I deleted the following sentence, because it describes the feature of the conventional vector machines. Such feature is better described in vector processor. Modern SIMD instructions, for example those of AltiVec and SSE, are not much different from the scalar instructions in terms of instruction latency. Similar to scalar instructions, ILP can be exploited for SIMD instructions as well.
since while there may be some overhead to starting up a vector operation, once it starts each individual operation is faster (in part because it avoids the need for instruction decoding).
[edit] deleted unrelated part
I deleted the following paragraph, because it is unrelated to the theme. Maybe it should fit a "vectorization (computer graphics)" or something :
Raster-to-vector conversion is an important operation for computer graphics software. Raster images are the natural output of scanners and digital photography, they are the mainstay of TV and digital printing, and they can be created (with varying levels of skill) by users of bitmap-handling software such as Adobe PhotoShop or Corel PhotoPaint. However, raster images do not scale well, and for many purposes vector graphics are to be preferred. Raster-to-vector conversion software needs to: decode raster file formats, detect colour boundaries in images, simplify boundaries into smaller numbers of vectors (typically lines, arcs and Bezier curves), and write out vector files in suitable formats. Well-known raster-to-vector converters include Corel Trace, Adobe Streamline, and most sign-making programs.
[edit] Disambiguation
I just created a page Vectorization (mathematics) which discusses a different use of the term. I put some disambiguation at the beginning of this article for now. Would it be OK with those who watch this article if it were moved to something like Vectorization (computer science) so that the unmodified Vectorization could be used as a disambiguation page? I don't know how this will affect the proposed merge. Michael Kinyon 17:10, 24 September 2006 (UTC)
