I'm not a programmer, but I do have a LITLLE bit of programming knowledge, but how would you differentiate between an independent, vice dependent processor?  I guess, I look at the OS as having a bigger role than the Cell model...there is no slight meant by this comments, but this seems analogous to a terrorist organization, where the cells are independent, but are all tied to a central organization for core doctrine.  Efficient and effective, but it has some downsides as well, and command and control can prove to be quite a challenge.  A symbiotic relationship....and it's the developer that turns it into either the Borg or the Trill.  It then is hard to say which one is better or worse, as it's a case by case basis. 

the processor's are geared toward working together to atain a goal.

from the stand point of what are the SPE cores good for? compared to the PPE

it depend's on what you want that SPE core to do , and what limitation's it may have and what thing's you can do to overcome the problem's

in codeing in the SPE..for example:

this was a great example of thing's they have tryed out on just the SPE by itself:

Network Processing on an SPE Core in Cell Broadband EngineTM

   However, it is necessary to split execution codes and data
for the 256-KB LS, and codes and data must be swapped
as required via explicit DMA requests. This necessitates a
different programming technique from that used in conven-
tional processors, and increases the level of technical diffi-
culty in particular when porting existing large-scale appli-
cations.

now this pertain's just to the SPE's because they use Local store instead of Cache

look at page 5.

3.6 and how branch prediction was done on a SPE

www.hoti.org/archive/2008papers/2008_S4_3.pdf

I can write a C-program -- anything I want, as long as it fits in the 256K localstore of the SPE -- and have it kick out data to anyplace in the PS3's main memory, at any time, as well as read in info from anywhere in main memory, at any time.

I upload the code once to the SPU (much in the same way an OS starts a thread on any processor), and it goes... and goes on forever until I tell it to stop, completely asynchronously of the PPE. What, exactly, about that process makes you believe a SPE is not a fully fledged core? Are you saying that C is not a full programming language? Are you saying that 256K is not enough memory for a core to qualify as one? Are you saying that starting a thread on the PPU is somehow fundamentally different from starting a thread on a SPE, because you have to upload the entire program into what is effectively a 256K cache, rather than just send an instruction pointer, and let CPU cache do, effectively, the same loading for you? Do you think processors have to possess an intermediate caching mechanism to function?

Suggesting that the SPEs are not independent cores is beyond ludicrous, and basically just exclaims complete ignorance on the part of the person suggesting it.

Get over it guys. The Cell has more muscle than the Xenon, but its a hell of a lot harder to flex. Oh well.

If all that "technical mumbo jumbo" above confused you, try this on for size:

If the Cell had "one core" and the Xenon had "three", how is it that crossplatform games are even able to come close on the PS3, relative to the 360? Do you think that most 360 games only use one core, and thus the 360 has "room to grow", but the PS3 does not?

Yet... after more than 3 years on the marketplace, the 360 has yet to have a game that really shows the 360 as some sort of superior platform, just as the reverse is true. All this time, the PS3 games have been getting substantially better framerates, finally catching, and arguably passing the 360's graphics in some cases, etc... while the 360 games started out better, and have only marginally improved. Is the PS3 growing new cores? Are developers scared of the 360's awesome remaining power?

Do tell.

I don't know, but Gears 1 next to Gears 2 is noticeably different.  If The Cell processor has 8 cores, that's good, but it's a matter of flexibility as you say. 

not only is it about Flexability but the problem's you may have in designing your engine to fit within the limit's of the hardware and to overcome those problem's. and it's many step's to tweak said engine. which only mean over time. the very fact that gear's 1 and gear's 2 look noticeably different, is quite a good thing. At this point its a good thing Both the XBOX360 and the PS3 both have these type's of multi-core processor type's of hardware because more Developer's are going to need it. I love the Wii, but i do think that was one of the thing's that may be causeing Some Developer's from embraceing the Wii as a development platform. not because of it sale's

which is awsome. but because it's not pushing Developer in the direction that the main processor companies are headed..

not to say that Nintendo is Sad about that... at all. it's control scheme is very good it holds great advancement for game innovation, along with future innovation for other "app's" but on the same token it's helping Developer's one way but hindering Developer in another

the reverse is true for the HD systems , in controll scheme the XBOX360 nor the PS3 has as well innovated control scheme as the Wii, but has better system design "for future skill in development on hardware that will be used more often in other parts of this industry instead of just game's"

not saying the Wii is a lesser design system..not trying to imply that, i was just point out which systems are helping Developer's to be better prepaired for the future in the industry.

I honestly believe that we will see far more from both consoles in years to come, as developers learn to manipulate the multi-core processors that they are. The Wii was not desgined for this, but Nintendo is in a great spot, since they can now take the time and do the due diligence to ensure they deliver the "right" amount of capabilty in their next console. Personally, I think PS3 and 360 could go on for another 5-7 years without a newer console, and still deliver top notch games, BUT that won't happen, and you can expect to see new systems out in 3-4 at most, imho.

Looking at the clock cycles being used on X360 games, I would say you will see very little increase in performance from X360 games.  Optimized code on the X360 (already at 100% CPU clock cycle usage) will only yield about a 15% increase in power.  On the other hand, optimized code on the PS3 (already at 100% CPU clock cycle usage) could yield 400% or MORE increase in power (based on different universities studies).  I don't believe any developer has vectorized their code for the PS3 at this point.  Naughty Dog said they just migrated their systems over to the SPEs and pipelined their engine to use 100% of the CPU clock cycles (that was the REALLY hard part), but haven't optimized their code, yet.

New PS console will most likely arrive around the same time as usual in the previous consoles lifecycle (around the 6 year mark...maybe earlier if MS jumps the gun).  The next gen would be MS's 3rd console and they haven't establishd a pattern of any kind for release, yet.  According to MS, the X360 is suppose to be supported for a total of 7 years.  The PS3 is suppose to be supported for 9 or 10 years.

Shane Kim said at least 7 years, and he also said its lifespan would be one day more than the PS3s.

But seriously, why do we need to care how powerful each system is? PS3 wins in that department, so everyone can just shut the fuck up. Although it is interesting to watch fanboys bitch.

http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/news/xbox-360s-lifespan-will-be-one-day-longer-than-the-ps3-says-shane-kim/?biz=1

I love it how some Sony fans pretend that graphics having anything to do with being future-proof and the lifetime of the console.

If you look at the consoles which had the longest lifetimes (such as NES, PS and PS2), they didn't have the best graphics. Surprise, they were the winning consoles!

Because 'serious' console gaming is nothing but graphics whoring today. Allocate too much resources for game play and your game will sell badly. Not to mention that everyone would mock your game & its graphics. Shrink game play into minimum and allocate those resources for graphics and you will have 'masterpiece'. We all know what term dumbing down means... :)

@HALO*

Well, if you look at only floating point processin capability then yes, but you can still make programs for X360 that cannot be done with PS3.