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Buying Computing by the Computon

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the close-relative-of-the-bogon dept.

theodp writes "Seeking to emulate the pricing models utilities use to charge customers for kilowatt-hours of electricity based on the ebb and flow of power demand, HP Researchers have come up with a new unit-of-computing metric, the Computon, which is not to be confused with the 'Power Unit' and 'Service Unit' pricing metrics from Sun and IBM. California, here we come!"

6 of 189 comments (clear)

  1. What a Lame Name! by xelph · · Score: 1, Insightful

    That's all I have to say...

  2. california blackouts: case *for* regulation by SubtleNuance · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The rolling california blackouts are the perfect case for the advocacy of Utility Regulation (like the new 'computer utilities envisioned by HP/IBM/Sun etc).

    The power companies, colluding with the marketers themeselves, PURPOSEFULLY manipulated the energy market in california to raise prices. the rolling blackouts were the 'shot across the bow' of regulation-advocates; "we'll shut your damn power off it you dont pay" extortion.

    Why is this on-topic? because someday, in the future, computing-as-utility will become as necessary as electricity is today... want to get a job? have to have computing-ability. Want to pay your bills? have to have computing-ability. want to get a loan? have to have computing-ability. want to vote? have to have computing-ability.. without accepting that WHEN THIS HAPPENS, that regulation of the industry in the public interest becomes necessary... unless you want the future-monied-kings to shut down your house/town/state.

  3. Coding Revolution by moehoward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Finally, a real excuse to get these slackers to write some optimized code.

    Just think of the issues this can raise with optimization. Realizing that some junior programmer just cost you 50,000 computons because he didn't initialize a variable.

    Maybe this is what we need to get people to start thinking like this again. For the love of god, anything to get some cleaner code.

    --
    "If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid." - Epictetus
  4. So how long... by aridhol · · Score: 2, Insightful

    How long will it be before the definition of a computon needs to change?

    --
    I can't say that I don't give a fuck. I've just run out of fuck to give.
  5. Thornton May didn't read the article... by TedTschopp · · Score: 2, Insightful
    "We will eventually get to a point where [IT vendors] charge for usage in real time," said Thornton May, a futurist in Biddeford, Maine, and a Computerworld columnist. "If you want electricity on a hot day, you pay more. If you want bandwidth on a busy pipe-traffic day, you pay more."
    or perhaps the author didn't read the article. We are talking about computing power not bandwidth. This here is proof that the plan is confusing to people. Ted Tschopp
    --
    Fantasy remains a human right; we make in our measure and in our derivative mode... -- JRR Tolkien
  6. Re:I like my servers like I like my music by gregger · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Although, I don't believe you actually "own" the music that you have on CD. I think you own the CD media itself, and license the music (like software).

    If you actually "owned" the music, you would be able to copy it freely. If you 0WN3D your music, I guess you could copy it freely...