Alex Xi's Notes

email templates

Jul 13, 20255 min read

Pre-Session Email Templates

📧 24-Hour Reminder Email

Subject: GPU Study Group Session 1 Tomorrow - Ready to Code GPUs? 🚀

Hi everyone!

Super excited for our first GPU programming session tomorrow! We’re going to build a solid foundation in GPU architecture and get our hands dirty with actual CUDA code.

📅 Session Details

  • When: [Date] at [Time] ([Timezone])
  • Where: [Meeting Link]
  • Duration: 90 minutes
  • Focus: GPU Architecture & CUDA Setup

🛠️ Technical Prep (if not done already)

Option 1: Local CUDA Setup

Option 2: Cloud Backup (works for everyone)

  • Create Google account if needed
  • We’ll use Colab with GPU runtime as backup

Don’t stress about installation issues - we’ll solve them together and have cloud alternatives ready!

📖 Last-Minute Reading (optional)

If you want a quick refresher:

  • NVIDIA CUDA Programming Guide Chapter 1 (focus on terminology)
  • Think about: “Why are GPUs good at some tasks and CPUs good at others?”

🎯 What to Expect Tomorrow

  • Knowledge check: Quick discussion of readings
  • Architecture deep dive: GPU vs CPU design philosophy
  • Hands-on coding: Your first CUDA kernels!
  • Interactive throughout: Questions encouraged!

🆘 Need Help?

Reply to this email if you have technical issues. I’m here to help!

Looking forward to starting this GPU programming journey together!

Best, [Your name]

P.S. Bring your curiosity and don’t worry about being perfect - we’re all learning together! 💡

📧 Week-Of Setup Email (Optional - for very technical groups)

Subject: GPU Study Group - Optional Pre-Session Setup

Hi GPU enthusiasts!

For those who want to get a head start, here are the exact setup steps we’ll be using in Session 1:

🔧 CUDA Installation Verification

# Check CUDA compiler
nvcc --version
 
# Check GPU status  
nvidia-smi
 
# Test compilation (we'll do this together)
echo '#include <stdio.h>
__global__ void hello() {
    printf("Hello from GPU!\\n");
}
int main() {
    hello<<<1,1>>>();
    cudaDeviceSynchronize();
    return 0;
}' > test.cu
 
nvcc test.cu -o test
./test

🌐 Cloud Alternative Setup

  1. Go to colab.research.google.com
  2. New notebook → Runtime → Change runtime type → GPU
  3. Test: !nvidia-smi

📋 What We’ll Cover

  • GPU architecture fundamentals
  • CUDA programming model basics
  • Thread hierarchy (threads/blocks/grids)
  • Your first GPU kernels

Don’t worry if setup doesn’t work perfectly - troubleshooting together is part of the learning process!

See you [day/time]!

[Your name]

📧 Post-Session Follow-Up Template

Subject: GPU Study Group Session 1 - Summary & Week 2 Prep

Hi everyone!

Great job in our first session! Really enjoyed seeing everyone’s curiosity and problem-solving in action.

🎯 What We Accomplished

  • ✅ Understood GPU vs CPU architecture differences
  • ✅ Learned CUDA basics: kernels, threads, blocks, grids
  • ✅ Compiled and ran our first GPU programs
  • ✅ Connected hardware specs to programming implications

📝 Key Takeaways

  • GPUs excel at parallel tasks due to thousands of simple cores
  • SIMT execution: Same Instruction, Multiple Threads
  • Thread hierarchy: threads → blocks → grids
  • Host (CPU) launches kernels on Device (GPU)

🔧 For Those Still Having Technical Issues

[Individual follow-up for anyone who struggled with setup]

📚 Week 2 Preview: Memory Management & Basic Kernels

Topic: GPU memory types, data transfer, vector addition Readings: [Will send detailed list by Friday] Preparation: Make sure your CUDA environment is working

💡 Optional Exploration

If you’re excited to explore more:

  • Browse CUDA samples directory: /usr/local/cuda/samples/
  • Try different thread configurations in hello_cuda.cu
  • Read about GPU memory hierarchy

🤝 Questions or Help?

Reply anytime! Part of being a study group is supporting each other.

Looking forward to Week 2 where we’ll start doing real computational work on GPUs!

Best, [Your name]

Next session: [Date/Time] - Memory Management & Basic Kernels

📧 Individual Help Offer (for struggling participants)

Subject: GPU Study Group - Let’s Get Your Setup Working

Hi [Name],

Noticed you had some technical challenges in today’s session - totally normal for GPU programming setup!

Would you like to hop on a quick 15-minute call this week to get your CUDA environment working? I’m free:

  • [Time option 1]
  • [Time option 2]
  • [Time option 3]

Or if you prefer, we can troubleshoot over email. Just let me know:

  1. What operating system you’re using
  2. What GPU you have (if any)
  3. Where exactly the installation process failed

Don’t worry - we’ll get you coding on GPUs by next week! The concepts are more important than the setup hurdles.

Best, [Your name]

🎯 Email Tips

Tone Guidelines

  • Enthusiastic but not overwhelming
  • Supportive and inclusive
  • Technical but accessible
  • Clear action items

Key Messages to Convey

  • Technical issues are normal and expected
  • Learning together is the goal, not individual perfection
  • Multiple pathways to success (local setup, cloud, etc.)
  • You’re available for support

Timing

  • Week-of setup email: 3-4 days before (optional)
  • Reminder email: 24 hours before (essential)
  • Follow-up email: Within 24 hours after session
  • Individual help: As needed throughout week

Customization Tips

  • Add your personality and teaching style
  • Include specific technical details for your group’s level
  • Reference company/organization context if applicable
  • Adjust formality level for your audience

Backlinks

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