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Graphics Performance Characterization Committee
Charter
Revised October 15, 2003
The Graphics Performance
Characterization Committee, commonly referred to as the GPC Committee,
is the representative body of the GPC Committee member organizations.
The GPC Committee is an approved committee of the Standard Performance
Evaluation Corporation (SPEC), and as such, operates under the
bylaws and guidelines of SPEC.
1.0 Objectives
To permit standardized graphics performance measurement and evaluation
by creating unambiguous vendor-neutral measures for product evaluation
and comparison.
To develop specifications, programs and benchmarks for generating
accurate performance measures in an open, accessible and well-publicized
manner.
To provide tools, if applicable, which are available as examples,
for vendors and customers to use for their own performance measurement
and evaluation requirements.
To provide formal beta and final software releases to the public
in a timely fashion.
To validate the specification, programs and benchmarks by the
development of a publicly available implementation.
To contribute to the coherence of the field of graphics performance
measurement and evaluation so that vendors will better able to
compare and evaluate vendors' products and environments.
To refrain from performing actual performance measures or evaluations.
2.0 Activities
The GPC Committee, though Approved Projects, is developing a
suite of standardized specifications that provide a standardized
method of measuring graphics display performance for different
hardware platforms. The Approved Projects are the responsibility
of standing Subcommittees of the GPC Committee.
The current Approved Projects are the OpenGL Performance Characterization
(OPC) and the Application Performance Characterization Group (APC).
These projects have been assigned to the following subcommittees:
2.1 OpenGL Performance Characterization Group (SPECopc)
establishes graphics performance benchmarks for systems running
under the OpenGL application programming interface (API).
2.2 Application Performance Characterization Group (SPECapc)
group feels that end users will benefit from a broad-ranging set
of standardized benchmarks for graphics-intensive applications.
2.3 Other Approved Project Subcommittees
Upon approval of a new project, which meets the criteria outlined
in the Objectives listed above, a new corresponding standing Subcommittee
may be added by a majority vote of the GPC Committee.
3.0 Responsibilities
3.1 GPC Committee
The GPC Committee is the administrative body for the operations
of the GPC Committee organization and its standing Subcommittees.
The committee reviews and monitors all activities for compliance
with these procedures and for compliance with the bylaws of SPEC.
The Committee provides administrative management for the activities
of its Subcommittees, but as a Committee, will not participate
in those activities, or revise the results of Subcommittee efforts.
The Committee is responsible for reviewing and approving all
new project applications.
3.2 GPC Committee Approved Projects
The GPC Committee Approved Projects are assigned to standing Subcommittees
which are the operational bodies responsible for the development,
production and management of specifications, programs, and benchmarks
for performance measurement. Projects are approved by a two-thirds
(2/3) vote of the members of the GPC Committee. All final releases
of specifications, programs, and benchmarks and results of Subcommittee
activities will be through the GPC Committee.
The Subcommittees will be responsible for the work to develop,
evaluate and approve the specifications, programs and benchmarks.
All Subcommittee working documents and records of the Subcommittee's
actions, methods and procedures, will be publicly available and
will be retained for public inspection. The specifications, programs,
and benchmarks described herein will be made available to all
interested parties at the earliest possible dates.
The specifications, programs and benchmarks will list the names
and affiliations of individuals participating in the development
effort.
4.0 Structure
The cost of the GPC Committee and its Subcommittees will be paid
via membership fees or dues. Any organization can become a sustaining
member by payment of the membership fee or annual dues.
The GPC Committee will put in place and maintain an appeals process
through which any interested or affected party may register and
have heard a complaint concerning GPC Committee or Subcommittee
action or inaction on any Approved Project.
Meeting locations will rotate among sites of active participants
or at sites designated by vote. The Chairperson of the Committee
or Subcommittee will act as the organizer of meetings.
Meeting locations will rotate as appropriate. The location will
be decided on by the SPEC Office and will be approved by the GPC.
Meetings of the GPC Committee and Subcommittees will be held
at least two (2) times a year. Additional meetings will be called
as appropriate with sufficient advanced notice. Any such meetings
may be convened in person or by electronic means. Agendas will
be prepared and circulated to all members in advance of meetings.
Meeting minutes will be kept by the elected secretary, and issues
raised at meetings or through electronic means will be recorded
in the manner of standard discussion. An electronic mail archive
will be kept. Hardcopy of electronic mail dialogue will be mailed
to participants without electronic mail connections.
Committees and Subcommittees will adhere at all times to the
principles of due process and antitrust compliance as set forth
in detail in the attached Guidelines.
5.0 Membership
Organizations are the sustaining members of the GPC Committee
and Subcommittees. Organizational membership is attained by submission
of the designated membership fees or annual dues. The membership
fees and annual dues are set by the Subcommittee and approved
by a majority vote of the GPC Committee.
Individuals may be supporting members of Subcommittees.
5.1 Membership Bodies
5.1.1 Membership in the GPC Committee
Membership in the GPC Committee is open to any organization that
has a direct and/or material interest in graphics performance
benchmarking. Members of the GPC Committee are expected but not
required to be active participants in one or more Subcommittees.
5.1.2 Membership in Subcommittees is open to any organization
that has a direct and/or material interest in scope of performance
benchmarking for the Subcommittee.
In addition, supporting membership is open to any individual
who has a direct and/or material interest in the scope of activity
and is qualified as a technical expert in this scope of activity.
Supporting members participate only in the technical meetings
of the Subcommittee.
5.2 Membership Types
5.2.1 Sustaining Membership
Sustaining membership is offered to any organization that remits
the annual membership fee or annual dues. This entitles the organization
to full voting membership in organization meetings of the Committee
and Subcommittees.
5.2.2 Ex Officio Membership
Ex Officio Membership may be granted to any organization or individual
that can contribute to the overall success of the program. Ex
Officio Membership is reviewed annually and requires a two-thirds
(2/3) vote of the members of the respective Committee or Subcommittee.
Ex Officio Members do not have voting rights.
5.2.3 Supporting Membership
Supporting Membership is only relevant to Technical Sessions of
Subcommittees and is open to all those (industrial, academic or
other) who are knowledgeable in graphics performance measurement
and evaluation, and/or who are directly and materially affected
by the Subcommittee's activity. Supporting Members do not have
voting rights.
Supporting Membership is open to any individual who desires to
contribute to the goals and objectives of the Subcommittee, and
participates in regularly scheduled meetings of the Subcommittee.
5.3 Officers of Committees and Subcommittees
The officers for the GPC Committee and each Subcommittee shall
be the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and the Secretary/Treasurer
(herein after referred to as the Secretary), and such subordinate
officers as may be appointed by the Chairperson.
The terms of the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and Secretary
shall be one year and each officer shall be elected by a simple
majority of the voting members of the respective Committee or
Subcommittee. The number of terms of any officer shall be unlimited.
Officers must be from organizations with voting rights.
The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings. The Chairperson
may designate the Vice Chairperson or, in the latter's absence,
another alternate to serve in his or her place.
The Vice Chairperson shall assist the Chairperson in all duties
of the office.
The Secretary shall assure that all activities are accurately
recorded. The Secretary shall also assure that all records of
membership and voting status are maintained.
The Secretary is responsible for preparing and distributing the
minutes of all official meetings. The Secretary shall monitor
collection and disbursement of funds by the Committee or Subcommittee.
These responsibilities may be carried out with the assistance
of SPEC.
5.4 Voting in Organization Sessions of Committees and Subcommittees
Organization Sessions of Committees and Subcommittees are those
meetings that are convened to address issues that are deemed necessary
to conduct the business of the Committee or Subcommittee. These
issues are left to the specific agenda of the Committee or Subcommittee,
but are subject to appeal under the Appeal Process outlined in
the Guidelines Section of these procedures.
Organizations are the voting members in Organization Sessions
of the GPC Committee, and Subcommittees. Each member organization
is allowed one vote on any issue. Organizations may send as many
representatives as necessary to represent their interests. (This
number may be limited if meeting facilities or SPEC is constrained.)
Voting status is achieved by attendance at the second consecutive
official meeting of the Committee or Subcommittee.
Voting status is lost if the organization fails to remit payment
for membership fees or annual dues. Voting status is restored
by payment of these fees or dues.
Voting status is lost if the organization is not represented
in at least two consecutive official meetings of the Committee.
Voting status is restored at the second consecutive official meeting
of the Committee after attendance has been resumed.
Issues may be designated for resolution by mail ballot by voting
members of the Committee or Subcommittee. Mail ballot may be by
standard surface mail, by electronic means or both. A mail ballot
is deemed valid if a quorum of eligible voting organizations returns
ballots. Voting is Approved, Approved with Comment, Disapproved
with Comment, or Abstained with Comment. Disapproval and Abstained
votes require Comment on the nature of the vote.
5.5 Voting in Technical Sessions of Subcommittees
Technical Sessions of Subcommittees are those meetings in
which discussions are based on the technical merit of the issues
being addressed. These issues are left to the specific agenda
of the Subcommittee, but are subject to appeal under the Appeal
Process outlined in the Guidelines Section of these procedures.
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