> Can you run code on a GPU if the cores that can touch it's configuration registers are disabled?
I suspect yes, if they are disabled after the configuration is settled.
That is to say, the GPU require their continuous presence and support in order to perform a complex calculation. We could set up a GPU to calculate, say, 100 digits of pi, and then clock down the other processors until it's done. Maybe it could indicate by an interrupt or something when that happens so then things can be resumed.
It seems fair that anything that can calculate while other parts are suspended is countable as a separate computer, even some of those other parts are required to prepare its initial configuration and inputs, or to announce the result.
I suspect yes, if they are disabled after the configuration is settled.
That is to say, the GPU require their continuous presence and support in order to perform a complex calculation. We could set up a GPU to calculate, say, 100 digits of pi, and then clock down the other processors until it's done. Maybe it could indicate by an interrupt or something when that happens so then things can be resumed.
It seems fair that anything that can calculate while other parts are suspended is countable as a separate computer, even some of those other parts are required to prepare its initial configuration and inputs, or to announce the result.