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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.