Xbox Linux Cluster

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Posted by timothy on Thursday January 30, 2003 @07:11AM from the imagine-away dept.

aeiz writes "Adam Cecchetti put together a Linux cluster using 3 modded Xboxes and was quite surprised with the results. He used the Mandrake Linux distro." illumin8 summarizes Cecchetti's conclusion after investigating "the cost-effectiveness (or lack thereof) and trouble involved in setting up a 3 node Linux cluster based on the Microsoft hardware. The end result: A cheaper Walmart PC would perform better at the same task."

22 of 199 comments (clear)

was quite suprised with the results.... by Kenja · 2003-01-30 07:13 · Score: 5, Funny

After all that, chicks still didn't dig him.

--

"Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
1. Re:was quite suprised with the results.... by ez76 · 2003-01-30 09:45 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  What are you talking about? Didn't you read the article? This guy has a whole cluster of box at his disposal.
2. Re:was quite suprised with the results.... by ArsonSmith · 2003-01-30 12:37 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  someone really did imagine a beowulf cluster of these xboxes.
  
  guess that -1 redudntant/offtopic/whatever post that always gets modded down was on topic this time.
  
  --
  Paying taxes to buy civilization is like paying a hooker to buy love.
Surprised? by Anonymous Coward · 2003-01-30 07:15 · Score: 5, Funny

Quite surprised by the result? Does that mean that Microsoft didn't threaten legal action?
kewl!... by Anonymous Coward · 2003-01-30 07:15 · Score: 0, Funny

now make a Linux cluster running on a virtual machine under win XP too please.
Mariodrake by Anonymous Coward · 2003-01-30 07:16 · Score: 2, Funny

I want a Nintendo Mariodrake cluster!

-Zelda
Nice. by Squidgee · 2003-01-30 07:16 · Score: 1, Funny

Finally, legal beowulf cluster jokes for the trolls!

Suprised this worked, myself. Possibly the furture of super-cheap supercomputers?
Imagine a Beowulf Cluster of these... by Anonymous Coward · 2003-01-30 07:16 · Score: 0, Funny

Oh wait.
Well, duh by InfinityWpi · 2003-01-30 07:22 · Score: 3, Funny

"Lookie here, Beauford! This here electric can opener, see, I got me three of 'em, and I tinkered with 'em, but damned if a blender don't mix up a nice al-key-holic drink better than three of these dang-gum things!"

It's an X-Box. It's made to play games, not run Seti@Home.
1. Re:Well, duh by _xeno_ · 2003-01-30 08:08 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  It's worse than that. Read the article:
  So, I wrote a grant proposal to Saint Vincent College asking for funds to build a Linux cluster out of XBOXes. I was issued enough funds to purchase 3 units and accompanying hardware for the project.
  He got a grant to figure that out.
  He actually was given money to try and cluster three X-Boxes together and find out the results. Hmm... time to bug WPI for some funds... Yes, I need an X-Box, PS2, and a GameCube and will try to - uh - "cluster" them. Maybe around an LCD projector, depending on the grant...
  
  --
  You are in a maze of twisty little relative jumps, all alike.
2. Re:Well, duh by ReelOddeeo · 2003-01-30 08:25 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  He got a grant to figure that out.
  
  Grant poposal:
  
  The purpose of this experiment will be to determine the effect on the brain and other organs of massive exposure to pornography and any health effects that might result. Also the effects on academic performance will be observed and reported.
  
  --
  
  Those who would give up liberty in exchange for security and DRM should switch to Microsoft Palladium!
gimme gimme by Anonymous Coward · 2003-01-30 07:23 · Score: 2, Funny

I wrote a grant proposal to Saint Vincent College asking for funds to build a Linux cluster out of XBOXes. I was issued enough funds to purchase 3 units and accompanying hardware for the project.

so, um.... how can i contact this "Saint Vincent College"... i gotta do some... um.. research.
neo? whoa... by sweeney37 · 2003-01-30 07:26 · Score: 4, Funny

too bad The Neo Project is gone, maybe they could of broke the encryption key just that much faster....

Mike
Imagine by Moloch666 · 2003-01-30 07:27 · Score: 4, Funny

Imagine a....

*bends head down and walks away*

--
Understanding is a three-edged sword. -- Kosh Naranek
So, I wrote a grant proposal... by Anonymous Coward · 2003-01-30 07:36 · Score: 2, Funny

3 XBOXes
3 Matrix Mod Chips
1 VGA Switch
1 USB Keyboard
1 USB Mouse
1 USB Motherboard Card
1 Copy of Halo
1 DVD-RW
2 DVD-RW Media
To answer the inevitible question by Anonym0us+Cow+Herd · 2003-01-30 07:37 · Score: 3, Funny

Let's try to head the inevitible troll post off at the pass. It happens every single friggin time an XBox-Linux discussion appears.

Why do XBox Linux? <insert boring list of reasons why a standard PC is better>

Because it's there!

Any more questions?

--
The price of freedom is eternal litigation.
Yes: Mandrake for masses!!! by Anonymous Coward · 2003-01-30 08:04 · Score: 1, Funny

"The clustering of the XBOX units would not go as easily. I wanted to be able to remote admin the XBOXes and the MPICH package needed ssh to pass commands and I was not about to use rsh. After downloading the sshd source from openssh.org, I found my next big missing piece. Gcc was not installed as well. After installing eight rpms for the gcc package I had a C compiler. The version of openssl was outdated for the current version of openssh so that had to be installed before moving on too. It would seem that the Mandrake install was minimal indeed! As even zlib, required by openssl, was not installed. Finally after a few hours of installing and searching I had a node that was ready to install my clustering software on. Distcc which would allow me to cross compile software across nodes was installed. I also installed MPICH as I had experience with it from my other projects. Finally things were ready to go."
Miscro$oft has nothing to worry about on the desktop front.
In Other News by Ageless · 2003-01-30 08:15 · Score: 2, Funny

In other news Joe Smith was quite surprised to find that a food processor was far more effective at shredding food than a coffee maker was. He was quoted to say, "Even hooking three coffee makers together in a Beowulf cluster didn't make them shred food faster than the food processor. Weird. Maybe 10 coffee makers would do the trick".
Quick, how can I apply for Vincent College?? by tstoneman · 2003-01-30 08:18 · Score: 2, Funny

Where the hell is this college and how can I apply? They actually provide funding for things like modding X-boxes??? Damn, I wish they had that when I was in University, I could have requested 16 MB of RAM for my 486 so that I could test how additional RAM affects the playability of EA Sport NHL, as well as test the effects of playing too many videos on grades!!!
Re:neo? whoa... by MCMLXXVI · 2003-01-30 08:40 · Score: 1, Funny

Does anyone see the irony if the encryption key was broken by a cluster of X-boxes.
Woah! by dk.r*nger · 2003-01-30 09:05 · Score: 2, Funny

Now we don't have to imagine a beowolf cluster of these no more .. !
Re:Quick Summary... and a Why? by banzai51 · 2003-01-30 10:23 · Score: 2, Funny

Why? To bash Microsoft hardware of course. This is Slashdot afterall.