Gridwars Parallel Programming Challenge

Peter_Pork writes "New Scientist has an article about GridWars, a challenging new game that runs on large clusters of computers. Programs fight each other for supremacy in terms of the number of processors they control, and the main point of the contest is to develop better parallel algorithms. It seems a nice idea: have fun while you improve the state-of-the-art in cluster computing. The result of the last contest was somewhat of an upset, since a craftsmanly Russian program defeated a sophisticated genetic algorithm from NASA."

Comments

OMG

[The Bungi]

An article where SOVIET RUSSIA *and* beowulf jokes are on topic. What's next? A Natalie Portman interview?

I might be good at this

[Anonymous Coward]

I've often been told my programs require more cpu, allocate more memory, and take more time than any other coder on the team. If I can scale up my special skillz to more than one processor at a time, I might have a chance here.

Re:Pens versus Pencils

[Q Who]

NASA decided that the astronauts needed a writing utensil to take notes during space missions. NASA spend a large amount of money to develop the zero G ballpoint pen.

This is an urban legend.