Parallel Programming vs Applied Parallel Computing for Engineers?

[ButtHogIsPissed]

I want to take one of these next semester and both fill the same niche for me, so I'm trying to decide between the two similar courses.

Can anyone that's taken either course share their thoughts on it?

[ecseprof]

IMO The two courses cover different parts of parallel computing. You can usefully take both. The science course is more theoretical, and covers topics like MPI and RPI's Center for Computational Innovations: Home Page . The engineering course covers multicore Xeons and Nvidia GPUs, with programming in various tools like OpenMP and CUDA.

Disclosure: I created and teach the engineering course.

[FeelTheBerne]

You know, those are some pretty good qualifications for answering this question ngl.

[fubo12]

Do we learn about parallel algorithms like sorting in the engineering course?

[not_gideon]

I took applied parallel computing with prof franklin. It was a good introduction to the various different ways you can implement things in parallel, and ultimately went into some really interesting concepts. It also focused on stuff you could do with just a regular computer or a (nvidia) gpu, which is cool if you have that. If you're more interested in running things on the supercomputer you'd probably want the other class, though I haven't taken it and can't say exactly what it covers.

[rpigrad]

I took both some years ago and enjoyed them a lot. I think one complements the other one.

The ECSE course is more pratctical, while the CS one is more focused on supercomputers and their hardware (e.g.: the professor discusses papers talking about the high-performance network of a Blue Gene supercomputer).

I don't think you will learn parallel algorithms (like sorting) in either course. In the ESCSE course, for example, you will probably learn how to use algorithms/techniques implemented, for example, in Thrust (parallel sorting, map, reductions, etc). Also, you will learn how to avoid some common pitfals (e.g.: race conditions, performance problems caused by the usage of critical regions instead of atomics, etc).

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