Xbox Linux Cluster

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."

Comments

Quick Summary... and a Why?

[mikeage]

Basically, this guy modded three XBox's, put on Mandrake, didn't like the minimal compillation tools it came with, fixed it, and is done. He was impressed with the network performance... not because it was so good, but because he thought it had 10Mbps (it has 100). Ding-dong.. hello... anyone home? Read the specs!

This is news why?

Re:Quick Summary... and a Why?

[ReelOddeeo]

Why would you want to buy an XBox for this in general?

If you RTFA you will see that he didn't buy them. He received funds from his university to do this. He remarks that the XBox worked great as a general computing platform.

So why would you want to do this in general? Because if you can get someone else to pay for it, you get three useful Linux computers to use for some period of time, in exchange for producing your experimental results.

Re:Quick Summary... and a Why?

[pyr0]

" but I would think you could buy just as powerful of a MB/CPU/RAM combo (actually, you could get a better CPU easily) cheaper..."

I think his point was to test if this is true or not. A lot of people posting about this story seem to be saying things like "well duh! everyone knows it would be slower," but they are saying these things in the absence of data. Suppose his cluster would have performed exceptionally well and was ridiculously easy to set up? The purpose of research is to test theories out and see if they hold up. The theory or idea he was testing in this case was the applicability of X-Box machines to making a cheap cluseter.

Re:Nice.

[Anonymous Coward]

Possibly the furture of super-cheap supercomputers?

Ok, now I know it is too much trouble for the average slashdotter to actually read the articles before commenting, BUT PLEASE! How about READING THE FUCKING DESCRIPTION? Once again for the slow people: "The end result: A cheaper Walmart PC would perform better at the same task."

While it might be fun to mod an xbox to run linux to output content on a tv, it is worse than pointless to build a computational cluster with them.

Looks as if MS has succeded.

[RealAlaskan]

From the article's conclusion:

In conclusion, the XBOX functions well due to the work done by the XBOX Linux project. However the same or greater computing power could be obtained for an equal price, without the complications of modifying the XBOX. This makes the XBOX an unfit solution as a replacement for a personal computer or a cluster node.

MS has made a machine which it isn't practical to use for cheap computing power. It's possible to use the Xbox as a PC, and a few folks will do it, but it isn't practical, and I'm sure that's just what MS was aiming for.

Whether they actually lose money on every machine or not (and it surely doesn't sound as if marginal cost is greater than the price), they don't want their low margin hardware being snapped up by the thousands by pc-clustering scientists who will never buy a high margin game.

Xbox mods should focus on a PURPOSE

[Rolman]

Really, what would you expect? A cluster's main application is to increase the CPU cycles available for a given program. Raw CPU power is not Xbox's strength.

The Xbox mods should be focused on what makes them useful. No Wal-Mart PC would have Component Video Output or Digital Audio Output at $200. Xbox can be used as a cheap terminal but it will shine as a Media Player that allows you to use your existing content on your existing equipment in the same way a consumer electronics product would.

That's the real difference. A normal PC has many stupid quirks that are useful only when you have unpredictable hardware combinations, i.e. the dozens of volume controls (PCM, MIDI, Master, etc.) and different resolutions. These are not required in a DVD/TV/Stereo setup. And don't get me started on the so far terrible "desktop-on-your-TV" hacks on Video cards.

I'm looking for an Xbox mod that allows me to playback my content stored on ANOTHER computer through the network (the 10GB HDD on the thing would never be enough to store my files), and still be able to play my original, legally owned games in a non-intrusive way. Simplicity and ease-of-use are valued above all else in a console.

Now that would be a mod with a _real world_ purpose.