[R-SIG-Mac] Does 64-bit R use multiple cores?

[Kasper Daniel Hansen]

It depends on the computations you want to do.

R for Mac OS X uses Altivec which is a multithreaded version of BLAS  
and lapack. What this means is that for any computations involving  
matrix algebra, you do utilize multiple cores. Depending on what you  
are trying to compute and how that computation is implemented, this  
may prove to be just what you want or it may have little to no effect.

Kasper

On Nov 25, 2008, at 15:24 , John C. Tull wrote:

> Dear R-mac Users:
>
> I'm wanting to leverage an 8-core Intel Mac Pro for all of its  
> computational glory. Looking over the mail list, it appears that the  
> conversation on 64-bit builds of R has been about gaining access to  
> memory beyond the 32-bit limit of 3.5 GB and not about multiple  
> processors/cores.
>
> Does running 64-bit R only take advantage of one processor core at a  
> time like the standard 32-bit R, or does it do symmetric  
> multiprocessing (is this the right terminology?). If no, is there  
> any possibility of doing this using X-grid or otherwise that someone  
> can detail? I do have 10.5 Server if I have to go down that road.
>
> Thanks,
> John
>
> --
> John C. Tull, Ph.D.
> Conservation Director
> Nevada Wilderness Project
> 8550 White Fir Street
> Reno, NV 89523 USA
> 775.746.7851 (office)
> 775.224.2947 (mobile)
> www.wildnevada.org
>
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