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Sun Working to Obsolete Motherboards

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the look-ma-no-solder dept.

perl_camel_jockey writes "Sun is developing a new technology that promises to increase computing power by eliminating the need for physical, soldered chip-to-chip connections on the motherboard. Called 'proximity communications', it portends the ability for chips to talk to one another wirelessly just by being next to each other. Potential applications in computer design abound. Apparently this is part of Sun's Hero program, recipient of a $50 million grant from DARPA's High Productivity Computing Systems program to rejuvenate supercomputing in the US and regain the lead lost to Japan, in particular to NEC's Earth Simulator, ranked as the most powerful supercomputer in the world."

27 of 228 comments (clear)

  1. In other news.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Slashdot Microsystems is working hard on a system to eliminate duplicate postings. They hope to have the system working by early 2008.

    1. Re:In other news.. by popeyethesailor · · Score: 3, Funny

      Nope. This post shows the subject in a new color!

    2. Re:In other news.. by Tablizer · · Score: 3, Funny

      Motherdupes about motherboards. Mama Mia. What bunch of motherf........nevermind. Me chill.

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
    3. Re:In other news.. by slashdevslashtty · · Score: 1, Funny

      Early 2008 is a very optimistic goal. Professional analysis indicates "hackers" will surely have stolen the source code, forcing a rewrite and delaying it more than a year.

      --


      M$ Lawyer: But `gcc /dev/random -o kernel.dll` is our trade secret!
    4. Re:In other news.. by danamania · · Score: 1, Funny

      But do they run Linux? And what impact will this have on my privacy?

      You no longer need to just settle for wardriving for network access, you can wardrive for CPU time as well.

      Want to improve your dnetc scores? Easy done! just tune into your neighbour's computer, and get theirs to tune into those of their neighbour, and their neighbour beyond that... :)

  2. This is great news for my CPU by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Now I can get the CPU into a separate cooling unit from the rest of the system so that I can pay less for more cooling where I need it.

  3. Groundhog day by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    I think this has happened before...

    1. Re:Groundhog day by silverz · · Score: 4, Funny

      A deja vu is usually a glitch in the Matrix. It happens when they change something.

    2. Re:Groundhog day by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

      +1 Informative, Mr. Anderson.....Slashdot Readers consume all available bandwidth, and they move on, to another site...or something like that.

  4. uhm... i can see it now by WegianWarrior · · Score: 3, Funny

    Cost of all the chips and stuff that makes up an über-1337 computer - 1000$

    Cost of fancy cabinet w/ window to artisticly put all your wireless chips in - 200$

    The look on your face as your motehr fires up her old vacuum cleaner, blanketing the area with RF-noise - priceless.

    --
    Everything in the world is controlled by a small, evil group to which, unfortunately, no one you know belongs.
    1. Re:uhm... i can see it now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Dupe story...$1

      Overused Mastercard joke....$10

      Knowing that WegianWarrior still lives with his mom...priceless

  5. Slashdot working by sien · · Score: 4, Funny

    To obsolete grammar!

  6. I see it now... ;-) by Henk+Poley · · Score: 5, Funny

    Honey, I'll warm you something in the microwave!

    Noooo...

    [Beep] rebooting... grmbl...

  7. Great opportunity for Sun by murr · · Score: 4, Funny

    Sun should find this project rather easy going - their motherboards ARE already pretty obsolete anyway.

  8. Sun Invents a new computer form factor by Gabrill · · Score: 3, Funny
    CIAB-X (Computer In A Bag-X). You can overclock the system by jumbling the chips to get more optimal chip layouts. All powered by microwave.

    The downside is that kids can no longer tell the difference between their candy bags and your new UBER-1337 computers.

    --
    Always going forward, 'cause we can't find reverse.
    1. Re:Sun Invents a new computer form factor by Metallic+Matty · · Score: 4, Funny

      The downside is that kids can no longer tell the difference between their candy bags and your new UBER-1337 computers.

      I got a rock.

    2. Re:Sun Invents a new computer form factor by orangesquid · · Score: 2, Funny

      Hey, nice Beowulf cluster.

      --
      --TheOrangeSquid Is it any wonder things seem so awry? We swim in a sea of confusion and don't have to think to survive
  9. Re:Wow... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I think you mean Slashdot repeats itself.. yet again. Imagine that. Slashdot repeats itself.. yet again. Imagine that. Slashdot repeats itself.. yet again. Imagine that. Slashdot repeats itself.. yet again. Imagine that. Slashdot repeats itself.. yet again. Imagine that. Slashdot repeats itself.. yet again. Imagine that. Slashdot repeats itself.. yet again. Imagine that.

  10. DRM Evasion? by Vampyre_Dark · · Score: 1, Funny

    I guess some people will cover their chips with little tinfoil hats so they don't broadcast to home?

  11. Consequences by doktorstop · · Score: 3, Funny

    Let me visualise this... you need the chips but you don't need them to be on a motherboard... how would a computer look? A plastic bag full of chips? you dig in, take the processor out and throw in a new one to upgrade? groovy

    --
    http://www.automatiq.se
  12. Be Positive... by KrisHolland · · Score: 1, Funny

    Now is our chance go steal the +5 insightful comments and karma-whore like there is no tommrow ;).

    --
    3dinfo@maficstudios.com
  13. three time repost? by bani · · Score: 1, Funny

    i guess /. really, really, really wants to make sure everyone reads this story.

    i'm still trying to figure out why though.

  14. Re:Pride by meringuoid · · Score: 1, Funny
    Imagine what could happen if nobody dies anymore - we will probably all die in the next few decades

    There's something not quite right here, but I can't put my finger on it...

    --
    Real Daleks don't climb stairs - they level the building.
  15. Re:DUPE by cachorro · · Score: 4, Funny

    I wonder how much more Sun would need to pay to get this article posted a third time.

  16. Re:Sorry. by tiled_rainbows · · Score: 4, Funny

    I don't care if it's in the dictionary or not. "Obsolete" is not a verb, damnit.

    The first time I read the headline I thought it meant something like "Sun is working with obsolete motherboards". What would be wrong with "Sun working to make motherboards obsolete"? Whoo, five more characters to read, but it's worth it.

    Maybe it's because I'm English, I don't know, but I do know that when I am king I will de-obsolete public flogging for people who debase the language thus.

    --

    evil math within Nature's Cubic Creation!
  17. New tagline... by pyrrhonist · · Score: 1, Funny

    Sun Microsystems: The air between stuff is the computer.

    --
    Show me on the doll where his noodly appendage touched you.
  18. In other news.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Slashdot Microsystems is working hard on a system to eliminate duplicate postings. They hope to have the system working by early 2008.