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Mac OS X Quantum Simulations

Posted by pudge on from the computers-can-do-that dept.

Jeremy Lee writes "There are some 'educational' apps that transcend the merely interesting, and expand you mind with the force of a crowbar in the cerebellum. Celestia is one. Atom in a box is another. I keep it handy on my new iBook to blow the minds of chemist friends. It only runs on PowerPC Macs, but it's almost a justification for getting one. It should be used in schools to teach chemistry." Celestia is also great (and available for other platforms) ... I couldn't download it from the main link on the page, but was able to get it from SF.net. But if you really want to amaze your friends, turn your Mac into a Desktop Cray.

14 of 66 comments (clear)

  1. Desktp Cray by Satchel+Buddah · · Score: 2, Funny

    I must say that the Desktop Cray app is very impressive. After a few minutes spent on finding the correct presets the result was spectacular.

    1. Re:Desktp Cray by hcdejong · · Score: 3, Funny

      The only thing missing are the Blinkenlights.

  2. modules & security, etc. by djupedal · · Score: 3, Funny

    I ran some duct work (dang carbon fiber everywhere now) in from the cryogenic chamber in the lab...switched over to external cooling, and scripted a module for it. So far, so good. If the core temp (X4 r2) remains stable until morning, I'll post a link to the module, if anyone's interested. Does anyone know a good security service? I'd like to post a roving guard until I can get an insurance rider/coverage, etc. Do NOT take this stuf to No. Korea.

  3. ohhh Sneakers! by ihatewinXP · · Score: 2, Funny

    maybe im just a little too young but what does that funny bench from the movie Sneakers have to do with anything? -
    honestly though Celestial is an amazing program (esp for an alpha release) and is quite accessible and interesting to non-astrologists, like myself

    --
    ---- The real Slashdot is still here. You just have to browse at -1 to read the comments.
  4. Mind-bending visual bug by korpiq · · Score: 3, Funny

    Is this the future of Earth?!

    http://kato.iki.fi/htraEwolloF.jpg

    On MacOSX 10.1.5, Celestia apparently wraps a realtime mirror image around us. Does not apply on any other planets.

    --

    I think, therefore thoughts exist. Ego is just an impression.
  5. Re:Celestia by Tseran · · Score: 5, Funny

    My God, Its full of stars!

    --
    .sig: It's what's for dinner.
  6. You said it! by interactive_civilian · · Score: 4, Funny
    I've been playing around w/ Celestia ever since Slashdot ran an artical about making a CD of Open Source Software for Windows awhile back (I think it was an Ask Slashdot...I'm lazy and drunk so feel free to do a search). Celestia was mentioned in the comments of that story and I thought I would check for a MacOS X version and...DAAAAAAAMMMMMNNNN!!!!

    There is something to be said about zipping to objects on the other side of the universe in just a few seconds. And it runs surprisingly well, even on my Late 2001 iBook (600MHz w/ 384MB of RAM and 8MB VRAM). This program is the ultimate for armchair (or bar-top as my case would be at the moment...gotta love wireless internet in Japan) astronomers. It does seem to have problems rendering Earth (as someone else mentioned the mirror effect somewhere in the comments of this story) but everything else is just amazing.

    If you haven't downloaded this software yet, then the terrorists have already won...err...no, that isn't right. But seriously, get it and get it like now...as in yesterday! It is AWESOME.

    BTW, on a side note, has anyone had any success compiling Celestia from source. I tried but failed (unfortunately, don't remember why). No particular reason to compile from source, but I wanted to try and see if it would be a bit more optimized. Anyway, I had difficulty. Anyone else?

    Cheers. :)

    --
    "Empathise with stupidity, and you're halfway to thinking like an idiot." - Iain M. Banks
    1. Re:You said it! by kalidasa · · Score: 3, Funny

      Ah, nothing's better than having Celestia and XEphem running on my iBook, now that I can't see the damned stars anymore thanks to the smog and light pollution.

  7. Re:Desktop Cray? by Erik+K.+Veland · · Score: 2, Funny

    My experiences have been good. Watch out for quantum fluxuations though.

    --
    "I tend to think of OS X as Linux with QA and Taste", James Gosling, creator of Java
  8. Re:Desktop Cray? by overbom · · Score: 2, Funny

    My experiences have also been great. In addition to Erik's quantum fluctuations, I've heard a smattering of reports concerning vector continuum flanging. As always, check the freem drive before you start it up.

    hth,

    mike overbo

  9. Re:Hmmmm.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Hey, you won't find me complaining about the lack of spyware, clip art collections, and shareware puzzle games for Mac OS X. What else does Windows have that Mac doesn't?

  10. Where have you been? by droleary · · Score: 2, Funny

    DasBlinkenLights

  11. A bit out of date? by Greedo · · Score: 5, Funny

    I read this article and just installed it. Wow.

    However, I'm I the only one who still sees Skylab orbiting the earth? Shouldn't it be in a geostationary orbit, approximately 0km above Australia?

    --
    Tuus crepidae innexilis sunt.
  12. cerebella...? by girl_geek_antinomy · · Score: 3, Funny

    Maybe this makes me a biology pedant, but...

    with the force of a crowbar to the Cerebellum?

    You want the cerebral cortex. That's where the thinking happens. The cerebellum is a funny little bit in the old middle bit of your brain that keeps your balance working. Applying a crowbar to it would merely have a simmilar effect to many pints of beer...