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Canada to Launch Countrywide Virtual SuperComputer

LadyCatra writes "A serious shortage of world-class computing power in Canada prompted University of Alberta scientists to create the next best thing -- a countrywide, virtual supercomputer. On Nov. 4, thousands of computers from research centres across the country will be strung together by a U of A effort to create the most powerful computer in this country. The full story is here"

22 of 188 comments (clear)

  1. And.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...on Nov. 5, someone will find a way to temporarily use all of this virtual power to play a round or two of half life....

  2. What if it gains conciousness? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Anyway, before activating It, make sure It doesn't have any access to a spare nuclear warhead on orbit around Earth.

    1. Re:What if it gains conciousness? by DasBub · · Score: 5, Funny

      If it were to gain consciousness, it'd just start watching hockey, eating poutine, and wearing toques... ...but really really fast.

    2. Re:What if it gains conciousness? by naasking · · Score: 4, Funny

      Those sure don't seem to be signs of consciousness to me... Speaking as a Canadian, of course. ;-)

  3. Let's call it.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    SkyNet!

    1. Re:Let's call it.. by EvilCabbage · · Score: 3, Funny

      Now whos just looking for an excuse to blame the end of humanity on the Canadians?... aye?

    2. Re:Let's call it.. by dweezle · · Score: 3, Funny

      or Mike

      --
      In a time of universal lies, Telling the Truth is a revolutionary act - George Orwell
  4. What a great idea ! by stud9920 · · Score: 3, Funny

    That's a fantastic idea ! If this works, we'll be able to use it for useful computation ! It might sound crazy, but with such a virtual computer, one could make computations to help SETI or to cure cancer skyrocket ! How did they come up with such a great idea ?

  5. Please file... by Goat+In+The+Shell · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...all Beowulf posts under this thread, including (but not limited to):

    - standard Beowulf trolls mixed with standard Canadian accent lexicon ("eh?", "aboot")

    - posts about how a Beowulf cluster could perhaps help Canada out with a stereotypical Canadian "problem" (lousy beer, socialized medicine)

    - jokes combining the word Beowulf with the name of the mentioned U of A chemist Wolfgang Jaeger

    Thank you.

    1. Re:Please file... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      ...how a Beowulf cluster could perhaps help Canada out with a stereotypical Canadian "problem" (lousy beer, socialized medicine)

      Dude, Canadian beer and socialized medicine are the solution, not the problem.

  6. I wondered why.... by psyconaut · · Score: 1, Funny

    UofA called me and asked me if I still had my Commodore Amiga and could they borrow it! ;-)

    (I live in the Great White North, so I'm allowed to say this!)

    -psyco

  7. The Always Classic... by XinuXP · · Score: 3, Funny

    step 1:build the largest virtual supercomputer in canada

    step 2: ???

    step 3: global domination!

  8. Evil plans are perhaps already afoot by el_flynn · · Score: 3, Funny

    The article quoted that the computers "will be linked by the Internet, but involve a simple networking system". How many of you are willing to bet that someone is already gleefully planning a DDOS party?

    --
    The Wknd Sessions - Malaysian and South East Asia independent music
  9. Re:Processing power is not everything by Alan+Partridge · · Score: 2, Funny

    how about girlfriend simulations?

    --
    That was classic intercourse!
  10. Re:Why build a new, separate system? by RobinH · · Score: 5, Funny

    I don't understand why they feel the need to isolate their Canadian initiative, rather than giving Canada the access to computing power far greater than they can acheive on their own.

    Probably because the Canadian researchers got tired of hearing things like, "so, ye'all are from Keaynada, huh? We was just sittin up on the ruff and be drinkin sum pap."

    --
    "I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." - Mark Twain
  11. Raw Power by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Imagine the game of solitaire that the secretary will be able to play on TAHT supercomputer.

    Those cards will FLY to their place, thereby improving productivity ten-fold.

  12. Rueters News report by Lumpy · · Score: 4, Funny

    I clipped this out of reuters....

    Today, the Canadian Ministry for computing announced their initial tests of the Canada-wide massive computer project..

    Computer Scientist Thom Serveaux had this to say," when we switched it on every command was answered with the word "eh?" and it kept calling us "knobs" and was asking for "back bacon" we are trying to see if there is any problems in northern nodes that were like the Quebec nodes that started a fight with the other nodes demanding every command to be repeated in french."

    Updates will be posted on their progress..

    --
    Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
  13. Shatner by Dannon · · Score: 4, Funny

    Isn't William Shatner from Canada? Maybe this is an attempt to develop a more powerful 'Priceline SuperComputer'....

    A supercomputer capable of creating more convincing commercials, perhaps?

    --
    Good judgment comes from experience.
    Experience comes from bad judgment.
  14. First Task? by Hard_Code · · Score: 4, Funny

    Search for the elusive beer molecule. Eh.

    --

    It's 10 PM. Do you know if you're un-American?
  15. Use of Supercomputer by maddskillz · · Score: 3, Funny

    The new supercomputer will be used to determine when the Maple Leafs will win the Stanley Cup next.

  16. Re:Out of Hours by deprecated · · Score: 1, Funny

    Heh. Emergency math. National Emergency Math. "Bogies over Alaska! Prove Fermat's Theorem! Go! Go! Go!"

  17. Re:Most powerfull computer in Canada? by JonKatzIsAnIdiot · · Score: 2, Funny

    >how does an entire country have less research computing power than a university?

    Easy - just keep putting the Liberals into office. Their buddies make out like bandits. The rest of us will be back to an abacus and tin cans & string in no time.