Canada to Launch Countrywide Virtual SuperComputer

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Canada to Launch Countrywide Virtual SuperComputer

Posted by chrisd on Tuesday October 22, 2002 @08:18PM from the even-quebec-will-be-involved dept.

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"

7 of 188 comments (clear)

What if it gains conciousness? by Anonymous Coward · 2002-10-22 20:23 · 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 · 2002-10-22 20:54 · 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 · 2002-10-23 02:10 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Those sure don't seem to be signs of consciousness to me... Speaking as a Canadian, of course. ;-)
  
  --
  Higher Logics: where programming meets science.
Re:Why build a new, separate system? by RobinH · 2002-10-22 22:23 · 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
Rueters News report by Lumpy · 2002-10-22 22:51 · 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.
Shatner by Dannon · 2002-10-22 22:57 · 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.
First Task? by Hard_Code · 2002-10-23 01:06 · Score: 4, Funny

Search for the elusive beer molecule. Eh.

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It's 10 PM. Do you know if you're un-American?