We of course state that nobody is forcing anyone to use such PPU cards, but then the same could be said of graphic accelerator cards a few years ago and look how that one turned out. However, what it does mean is that while your PC will continue to function as a computer without such a card, I would see it likely that one would be necessary to continue playing games on them. Unless the cost of such hardware is negligible or included on existing components, then I can’t see this benefiting the expansion of PC games as it’ll be something else that needs upgrading and another expense that makes console gaming more appealing. Seriously, it’s bad enough that you have to keep upgrading your processor and graphics card without introducing something else that will no doubt change.

Ofcourse it’d be nice if there was just another general purpose CPU, but these are more complicated and expensive than a PPU, and do physics calculation slower too.

This PPU is purely for gamers (and perhaps people who run simulations or something), just as a video card is. Only now are operating systems beginning to use it as you say, but they will also leave an option to the user where he can chose not to use his video card for his GUI (I suspect I’ll do this).

And a dedicated processing unit may be more versatile than you think. I’ve read about a sound editing program that used a video card by comverting waveforms into textures, and applying sound effects as shaders and such. Its not as straightforward as a general purpose PU, but this shows dedicated PU’s can be used for other tasks too.

Besides, this is made for the group of gamers who really liked the physics they saw in HL2 and want more of it. The most efficient way to do this is a PPU, not yet another CPU which will be less efficient at calculating the physics. Nobody is forcing you to buy it, and I think that the whole parallel computing you mention is just as much a niche market as games.

If you check Ageia’s site theres a few paragraphs about how Xbox will be using this technology in their next system. So PPU for Xbox 2? How come the gaming sites report nothing of a PPU?

Where? All I see is that they added support for the Xbox in their SDK.

And video isnt a niche market? Seriously, who needs a GeForce 6800 Ultra Awesome, other than the die hard gamers (and possibly 3D artists). Physics are getting more and more important in games, just like video did years ago. Who knows, perhaps one day we’ll have a processing unit specifically for AI operations.

Ah, you misunderstand me somewhat (although I did wonder whether I’d phrased it correctly). I agree and disagree with your statement. Is a GeForce 6800 Ultra a necessary component for a modern computer? No, and in that respect I do agree with you and accept that this form of graphics card is a niche market. However, with both Windows (I think) and Apple integrating the use of a GPU into the operating system itself (in Apple’s case, through Core Video), a suitable GPU is going to be necessary in order for various applications to run correctly if they use Core Video. In this respect I see GPUs being mainstream but I’m not seeing an all-singing, all-dancing one as being necessary.

Anyway, I’m actually beginning to feel more strongly that the PPU is a bad idea. This is mostly due to my feelings that it is a waste of computing resources and that I’d rather see more CPUs (physical or virtual) that can be used for parallel computing but which can be used by any application rather than just those that want to do physics. Graphics are core to a modern computer and have been ever since the original Mac turned up in the mid 80’s. However, I just do not see physics being that important to computing. I’d rather see more general purpose processors that can be used to run all my applications rather than a more specialist processors that will spend most of their time being idle.