<img src="https://assets.amuniversal.com/7fada35026ca01393d3d005056a9545d" width="600" />
-===
+Links:
-# SV (Simple Scalar Vectorisation) for the Power ISA
+* <https://bugs.libre-soc.org/show_bug.cgi?id=213>
+* <https://youtu.be/ZQ5hw9AwO1U> walkthrough video (19jun2022)
+* <https://ftp.libre-soc.org/simple_v_spec.pdf>
+ PDF version of this DRAFT specification
**SV is in DRAFT STATUS**. SV has not yet been submitted to the OpenPOWER Foundation ISA WG for review.
-<https://bugs.libre-soc.org/show_bug.cgi?id=213>
+===
+
+# Scalable Vectors for the Power ISA
-SV is designed as a Scalable Vector ISA for Hybrid 3D CPU GPU VPU workloads.
+SV is designed as a strict RISC-paradigm
+Scalable Vector ISA for Hybrid 3D CPU GPU VPU workloads.
As such it brings features normally only found in Cray Supercomputers
(Cray-1, NEC SX-Aurora)
and in GPUs, but keeps strictly to a *Simple* RISC principle of leveraging
a *Scalar* ISA, exclusively using "Prefixing". **Not one single actual
explicit Vector opcode exists in SV, at all**. It is suitable for
low-power Embedded and DSP Workloads as much as it is for power-efficient
-Suoercomputing.
+Supercomputing.
Fundamental design principles:
* Taking the simplicity of the RISC paradigm and applying it strictly and
uniformly to create a Scalable Vector ISA.
-* Simplicity of introduction and implementation on top of
- the existing Power ISA without disruption.
* Effectively a hardware for-loop, pausing PC, issuing multiple scalar
operations
* Preserving the underlying scalar execution dependencies as if the
for-loop had been expanded as actual scalar instructions
(termed "preserving Program Order")
+* Specifically designed to be Precise-Interruptible at all times
+ (many Vector ISAs have operations which, due to higher internal
+ accuracy or other complexity, must be effectively atomic only for
+ the full Vector operation's duration, adversely affecting interrupt
+ response latency, or be abandoned and started again)
* Augments ("tags") existing instructions, providing Vectorisation
"context" rather than adding new instructions.
-* Does not modify or deviate from the underlying scalar Power ISA
+* Strictly does not interfere with or alter the non-Scalable Power ISA
+ in any way
+* In the Prefix space, does not modify or deviate from the underlying
+ scalar Power ISA
unless it provides significant performance or other advantage to do so
in the Vector space (dropping the "sticky" characteristics
of XER.SO and CR0.SO for example)
dependency hazards, allowing standard
high performance superscalar multi-issue
micro-architectures to be leveraged.
+* Divided into Compliancy Levels to reduce cost of implementation for
+ specific needs.
Advantages of these design principles:
+* Simplicity of introduction and implementation on top of
+ the existing Power ISA without disruption.
* It is therefore easy to create a first (and sometimes only)
implementation as literally a for-loop in hardware, simulators, and
compilers.
Comparative instruction count:
* ARM NEON SIMD: around 2,000 instructions, prerequisite: ARM Scalar.
-* ARM SVE: around 4,000 instructions, prerequisite: NEON.
-* ARM SVE2: around 1,000 instructions, prerequisite: SVE
-* Intel AVX-512: around 4,000 instructions, prerequisite AVX2 etc.
+* ARM SVE: around 4,000 instructions, prerequisite: NEON and ARM Scalar
+* ARM SVE2: around 1,000 instructions, prerequisite: SVE, NEON, and
+ ARM Scalar
+* Intel AVX-512: around 4,000 instructions, prerequisite AVX, AVX2,
+ AVX-128 and AVX-256 which in turn critically rely on the rest of
+ x86, for a grand total of well over 10,000 instructions.
* RISV-V RVV: 192 instructions, prerequisite 96 Scalar RV64GC instructions
-* SVP64: **four** instructions, 24-bit prefixing of
+* SVP64: **six** instructions, two of which are in the same space
+ (svshape, svshape2), with 24-bit prefixing of
prerequisite SFS (150) or
- SFFS (214) Compliancy Subsets
+ SFFS (214) Compliancy Subsets.
+ **There are no dedicated Vector instructions, only Scalar-prefixed**.
+
+Comparative Basic Design Principle:
+
+* ARM NEON and VSX: PackedSIMD. No instruction-overloaded meaning
+ (every instruction is unique for a given register bitwidth,
+ guaranteeing binary interoperability)
+* Intel AVX-512 (and below): Hybrid Packed-Predicated SIMD with no
+ instruction-overloading, guaranteeing binary interoperability
+ but at the same time penalising the ISA with runaway
+ opcode proliferation.
+* ARM SVE/SVE2: Hybrid Packed-Predicated SIMD with instruction-overloading
+ that destroys binary interoperability. This is hidden behind the
+ misuse of the word "Scalable" and is **permitted under License**
+ by "Silicon Partners".
+* RISC-V RVV: Cray-style Scalable Vector but with instruction-overloading
+ **permitted by the specification** that destroys binary interoperability.
+* SVP64: Cray-style Scalable Vector with no instruction-overloaded
+ meanings. The regfile numbers and bitwidths shall **not** change
+ in a future revision (for the same instruction encoding):
+ "Silicon Partner" Scaling is prohibited,
+ in order to guarantee binary interoperability. Future revisions
+ of SVP64 may extend VSX instructions to achieve larger regfiles, and
+ non-interoperability on the same will likewise be prohibited.
SV comprises several [[sv/compliancy_levels]] suited to Embedded, Energy
efficient High-Performance Compute, Distributed Computing and Advanced
Pages being developed and examples
+* [[sv/executive_summary]]
* [[sv/overview]] explaining the basics.
* [[sv/compliancy_levels]] for minimum subsets through to Advanced
Supercomputing.
* [[sv/implementation]] implementation planning and coordination
-* [[sv/svp64]] contains the packet-format *only*, the [[sv/svp64/appendix]]
+* [[sv/svp64]] contains the packet-format *only*, the [[svp64/appendix]]
contains explanations and further details
* [[sv/svp64_quirks]] things in SVP64 that slightly break the rules
+ or are not immediately apparent despite the RISC paradigm
* [[opcode_regs_deduped]] autogenerated table of SVP64 decoder augmentation
-* [[sv/vector_comparative_analysis]] - a list of Packed SIMD, GPU,
- and other Scalable Vector ISAs
* [[sv/sprs]] SPRs
-* SVP64 "Modes":
- - For condition register operations see [[sv/cr_ops]] - SVP64 Condition
+
+SVP64 "Modes":
+
+* For condition register operations see [[sv/cr_ops]] - SVP64 Condition
Register ops: Guidelines
on Vectorisation of any v3.0B base operations which return
or modify a Condition Register bit or field.
- - For LD/ST Modes, see [[sv/ldst]].
- - For Branch modes, see [[sv/branches]] - SVP64 Conditional Branch
+* For LD/ST Modes, see [[sv/ldst]].
+* For Branch modes, see [[sv/branches]] - SVP64 Conditional Branch
behaviour: All/Some Vector CRs
- - For arithmetic and logical, see [[sv/normal]]
- - [[sv/mv.vec]] pack/unpack move to and from vec2/3/4,
+* For arithmetic and logical, see [[sv/normal]]
+* [[sv/mv.vec]] pack/unpack move to and from vec2/3/4,
actually an RM.EXTRA Mode and a [[sv/remap]] mode
Core SVP64 instructions:
* [[sv/setvl]] the Cray-style "Vector Length" instruction
-* [[sv/remap]] "Remapping" for Matrix Multiply and RGB "Structure Packing"
-* [[sv/svstep]] Key stepping instruction for Vertical-First Mode
-
-*Please note: there are only five instructions in the whole of SV.
+* svremap, svindex and svshape: part of [[sv/remap]] "Remapping" for
+ Matrix Multiply, DCT/FFT and RGB-style "Structure Packing"
+ as well as general-purpose Indexing. Also describes associated SPRs.
+* [[sv/svstep]] Key stepping instruction, primarily for
+ Vertical-First Mode and also providing traditional "Vector Iota"
+ capability.
+
+*Please note: there are only six instructions in the whole of SV.
Beyond this point are additional **Scalar** instructions related to
-specific workloads that have nothing to do with the SV Specification**
+specific workloads that have nothing to do with the SV Specification*
+
+# Stability Guarantees in Simple-V
+
+Providing long-term stability in an ISA is extremely challenging
+but critically important.
+It requires certain guarantees to be provided.
+
+* Firstly: that instructions will never be ambiguously-defined.
+* Secondly, that no instruction shall change meaning to produce
+ different results on different hardware (present or future)
+* Thirdly, that implementors are not permitted to either add
+ arbitrary features nor implement features in an incompatible
+ way. *(Performance may differ, but differing results are
+ not permitted)*.
+* Fourthly, that any part of Simple-V not implemented by
+ a lower Compliancy Level is *required* to raise an illegal
+ instruction trap (allowing soft-emulation).
+* Fifthly, that any `UNDEFINED` behaviour for practical implementation
+ reasons is clearly documented for both programmers and hardware
+ implementors.
+
+In particular, given the strong recent emphasis and interest in
+"Scalable Vector" ISAs, it is most unfortunate that both ARM SVE
+and RISC-V RVV permit the exact same instruction to produce
+different results on different hardware depending on a
+"Silicon Partner" hardware choice. This choice catastrophically
+and irrevocably causes binary non-interoperability *despite being
+a "feature"*. Explained in <https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HNEm8zmkjBU>
+
+It is therefore *guaranteed* that extensions to the register file
+width and quantity in Simple-V shall only be made in future by
+explicit means, ensuring binary compatibility.
+
+
+# Optional Scalar instructions
**Additional Instructions for specific purposes (not SVP64)**
They are all entirely designed as Scalar instructions that, as
Scalar instructions, stand on their own merit. Considerable
lengths have been made to provide justifications for each of these
-*Scalar* instructions.
+*Scalar* instructions in a *Scalar* context, completely independently
+of SVP64.
-Some of these Scalar instructions are specifically designed to make
-Scalable Vector binaries more efficient (less instructions) such
+Some of these Scalar instructions happen also designed to make
+Scalable Vector binaries more efficient, such
as the crweird group. Others are to bring the Scalar Power ISA
up-to-date within specific workloads,
-such as a Javascript Rounding instruction. None of them are strictly
-necessary but performance and power consumption may be compromised
+such as a Javascript Rounding instruction
+(which saves 35 instructions including 5 branches). None of them are strictly
+necessary but performance and power consumption may be (or, is already)
+compromised
in certain workloads and use-cases without them.
-Vector-related:
+Vector-related but still Scalar:
* [[sv/mv.swizzle]] vec2/3/4 Swizzles (RGBA, XYZW) for 3D and CUDA.
designed as a Scalar instruction.
* [[sv/vector_ops]] scalar operations needed for supporting vectors
+* [[sv/cr_int_predication]] scalar instructions needed for
+ effective predication
-Scalar Instructions:
+Stand-alone Scalar Instructions:
-* [[sv/cr_int_predication]] instructions needed for effective predication
* [[sv/bitmanip]]
* [[sv/fcvt]] FP Conversion (due to OpenPOWER Scalar FP32)
* [[sv/fclass]] detect class of FP numbers
* [[sv/int_fp_mv]] Move and convert GPR <-> FPR, needed for !VSX
-* [[sv/vector_ops]] Vector ops needed to make a "complete" Vector ISA
* [[sv/av_opcodes]] scalar opcodes for Audio/Video
-* Twin targetted instructions (two registers out, one implicit, just like
- Load-with-Update).
- Explanation of the rules for twin register targets
- (implicit RS, FRS) explained in SVP64 [[sv/svp64/appendix]]
- - [[isa/svfixedarith]]
- - [[isa/svfparith]]
- - [[sv/biginteger]] Operations that help with big arithmetic
* TODO: OpenPOWER adaptation [[openpower/transcendentals]]
-Examples experiments future ideas discussion:
-
-* [[sv/propagation]] Context propagation including svp64, swizzle and remap
-* [[sv/masked_vector_chaining]]
-* [[sv/discussion]]
-* [[sv/example_dep_matrices]]
-* [[sv/major_opcode_allocation]]
-* [[sv/byteswap]]
-* [[sv/16_bit_compressed]] experimental
-* [[sv/toc_data_pointer]] experimental
-* [[sv/predication]] discussion on predication concepts
-* [[sv/register_type_tags]]
-* [[sv/mv.x]] deprecated in favour of Indexed REMAP
-
-Additional links:
-
-* <https://www.sigarch.org/simd-instructions-considered-harmful/>
-* [[simple_v_extension]] old (deprecated) version
-* [[openpower/sv/llvm]]
-* [[openpower/sv/effect-of-more-decode-stages-on-reg-renaming]]
-
-# Major opcodes summary
-
-Please be advised that even though below is entirely DRAFT status, there
+Twin targetted instructions (two registers out, one implicit, just like
+Load-with-Update).
+
+* [[isa/svfixedarith]]
+* [[isa/svfparith]]
+* [[sv/biginteger]] Operations that help with big arithmetic
+
+Explanation of the rules for twin register targets
+(implicit RS, FRS) explained in SVP64 [[svp64/appendix]]
+
+# Other Scalable Vector ISAs
+
+These Scalable Vector ISAs are listed to aid in understanding and
+context of what is involved.
+
+* Original Cray ISA
+ <http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/cray/CRAY_Y-MP/HR-04001-0C_Cray_Y-MP_Computer_Systems_Functional_Description_Jun90.pdf>
+* NEC SX Aurora (still in production, inspired by Cray)
+ <https://www.hpc.nec/documents/guide/pdfs/Aurora_ISA_guide.pdf>
+* RISC-V RVV (inspired by Cray)
+ <https://github.com/riscv/riscv-v-spec>
+* MRISC32 ISA Manual (under active development)
+ <https://github.com/mrisc32/mrisc32/tree/master/isa-manual>
+* Mitch Alsup's MyISA 66000 Vector Processor ISA Manual is available from
+ Mitch on request.
+
+A comprehensive list of 3D GPU, Packed SIMD, Predicated-SIMD and true Scalable
+Vector ISAs may be found at the [[sv/vector_isa_comparison]] page.
+Note: AVX-512 and SVE2 are *not Vector ISAs*, they are Predicated-SIMD.
+*Public discussions have taken place at Conferences attended by both Intel
+and ARM on adding a `setvl` instruction which would easily make both
+AVX-512 and SVE2 truly "Scalable".* [[sv/comparison_table]] in tabular
+form.
+
+# Major opcodes summary <a name="major_op_summary"> </a>
+
+Simple-V itself only requires six instructions with 6-bit Minor XO
+(bits 26-31), and the SVP64 Prefix Encoding requires
+25% space of the EXT001 Major Opcode.
+There are **no** Vector Instructions and consequently **no further
+opcode space is required**. Even though they are currently
+placed in the EXT022 Sandbox, the "Management" instructions
+(setvl, svstep, svremap, svshape, svindex) are designed to fit
+cleanly into EXT019 (exactly like `addpcis`) or other 5/6-bit Minor
+XO area (bits 25-31) that has space for Rc=1.
+
+That said: for the target workloads for which Scalable Vectors are typically
+used, the Scalar ISA on which those workloads critically rely
+is somewhat anaemic.
+The Libre-SOC Team has therefore been addressing that by developing
+a number of Scalar instructions in specialist areas (Big Integer,
+Cryptography, 3D, Audio/Video, DSP) and it is these which require
+considerable Scalar opcode space.
+
+Please be advised that even though SV is entirely DRAFT status, there
is considerable concern that because there is not yet any two-way
day-to-day communication established with the OPF ISA WG, we have
no idea if any of these are conflicting with future plans by any OPF
-Members. **The External ISA WG RFC Process is yet to be ratified
-and Libre-SOC may not join the OPF as an entity because it does
+Members. **The External ISA WG RFC Process has now been ratified
+but Libre-SOC may not join the OPF as an entity because it does
not exist except in name. Even if it existed it would be a conflict
of interest to join the OPF, due to our funding remit from NLnet**.
We therefore proceed on the basis of making public the intention to
in a wholly unsatisfactory manner have to *hope and trust* that
OPF ISA WG Members are reading this and take it into consideration.
+**Scalar Summary**
+
+As in above sections, it is emphasised strongly that Simple-V in no
+way critically depends on the 100 or so *Scalar* instructions also
+being developed by Libre-SOC.
+
**None of these Draft opcodes are intended for private custom
secret proprietary usage. They are all intended for entirely
public, upstream, high-profile mass-volume day-to-day usage at the
same level as add, popcnt and fld**
-* SVP64 requires 25% of EXT01 (bits 6 and 9 set to 1)
* bitmanip requires two major opcodes (due to 16+ bit immediates)
those are currently EXT022 and EXT05.
* brownfield encoding in one of those two major opcodes still
requires multiple VA-Form operations (in greater numbers
than EXT04 has spare)
* space in EXT019 next to addpcis and crops is recommended
- (or any 5-6 bit Minor XO areas)
+ (or any other 5-6 bit Minor XO areas)
* many X-Form opcodes currently in EXT022 have no preference
for a location at all, and may be moved to EXT059, EXT019,
EXT031 or other much more suitable location.
+* even if ratified and even if the majority (mostly X-Form)
+ is moved to other locations, the large immediate sizes of
+ the remaining bitmanip instructions means
+ it would be highly likely these remaining instructions would need two
+ major opcodes. Fortuitously the v3.1 Spec states that
+ both EXT005 and EXT009 are
+ available.
+
+**Additional observations**
Note that there is no Sandbox allocation in the published ISA Spec for
v3.1 EXT01 usage, and because SVP64 is already 64-bit Prefixed,
situation is a high priority which in turn by necessity puts pressure
on the 32-bit Major Opcode space.
+SVP64 itself is already under pressure, being only 24 bits. If it is
+not permitted to take up 25% of EXT001 then it would have to be proposed
+in its own Major Opcode, which on first consideration would be beneficial
+for SVP64 due to the availability of 2 extra bits.
+However when combined with the bitmanip scalar instructions
+requiring two Major opcodes this would come to a grand total of 3 precious
+Major opcodes. On balance, then, sacrificing 25% of EXT001 is the "least
+difficult" choice.
+Alternative locations for SVP64
+Prefixing include EXT006 and EXT017, with EXT006 being most favourable
+as there is room for future expansion.
+
Note also that EXT022, the Official Architectural Sandbox area
+available for "Custom non-approved purposes" according to the Power
+ISA Spec,
is under severe design pressure as it is insufficient to hold
the full extent of the instruction additions required to create
-a Hybrid 3D CPU-VPU-GPU.
-
-**Whilst SVP64 is only 4 instructions
+a Hybrid 3D CPU-VPU-GPU. Although the wording of the Power ISA
+Specification leaves open the *possibility* of not needing to
+propose ISA Extensions to the ISA WG, it is clear that EXT022
+is an inappropriate location for a large high-profile Extension
+intended for mass-volume product deployment. Every in-good-faith effort will
+therefore be made to work with the OPF ISA WG to
+submit SVP64 via the External RFC Process.
+
+**Whilst SVP64 is only 6 instructions
the heavy focus on VSX for the past 12 years has left the SFFS Level
-anaemic and out-of-date compared to ARM and x86. Approximately
-100 additional Scalar Instructions are up for proposal**
+anaemic and out-of-date compared to ARM and x86.**
+This is very much
+a blessing, as the Scalar ISA has remained clean, making it
+highly suited to RISC-paradigm Scalable Vector Prefixing. Approximately
+100 additional (optional) Scalar Instructions are up for proposal to bring SFFS
+up-to-date. None of them require or depend on PackedSIMD VSX (or VMX).
+
+# Other
+
+Examples experiments future ideas discussion:
+
+* [Scalar register access](https://bugs.libre-soc.org/show_bug.cgi?id=905)
+ above r31 and CR7.
+* [[sv/propagation]] Context propagation including svp64, swizzle and remap
+* [[sv/masked_vector_chaining]]
+* [[sv/discussion]]
+* [[sv/example_dep_matrices]]
+* [[sv/major_opcode_allocation]]
+* [[sv/byteswap]]
+* [[sv/16_bit_compressed]] experimental
+* [[sv/toc_data_pointer]] experimental
+* [[sv/predication]] discussion on predication concepts
+* [[sv/register_type_tags]]
+* [[sv/mv.x]] deprecated in favour of Indexed REMAP
+
+Additional links:
+
+* <https://www.sigarch.org/simd-instructions-considered-harmful/>
+* [[sv/vector_isa_comparison]] - a list of Packed SIMD, GPU,
+ and other Scalable Vector ISAs
+* [[sv/comparison_table]] - a one-off (experimental) table comparing ISAs
+* [[simple_v_extension]] old (deprecated) version
+* [[openpower/sv/llvm]]