The Future of Computing

An anonymous reader writes "Penn State computer science professor Max Fomitchev explains that computing has evolved in a spiral pattern from a centralized model to a distributed model that retains some aspects of centralized computing. Single-task PC operating systems (OSes) evolved into multitasking OSes to make the most of increasing CPU power, and the introduction of the graphical user interface at the same time reduced CPU performance and fueled demands for even more efficiencies. "The role of CPU performance is definitely waning, and if a radical new technology fails to materialize quickly we will be compelled to write more efficient code for power consumption costs and reasons," Fomitchev writes. Slow, bloated software entails higher costs in terms of both direct and indirect power consumption, and the author reasons that code optimization will likely involve the replacement of blade server racks with microblade server racks where every microblade executes a dedicated task and thus eats up less power. The collective number of microblades should also far outnumber initial "macro" blades. Fully isolating software components should enhance the system's robustness thanks to the potential of real-time component hot-swap or upgrade and the total removal of software installation, implementation, and patch conflicts. The likelihood of this happening is reliant on the factor of energy costs, which directly feeds into the factor of code optimization efficiency."

Comments

Re:Bloat

[Tim C]

a) some arcanely stupid matrix function jobspec rule created by HR

Been there, done that. However, we failed to get HR to tell us what categories we'd been assigned to; the best we got was to be given a copy of the rating system so we could decide where we thought we sat, with a promise that we'd have some feedback - feedback that never came, of course.

b) 10% less than his boss

Prior to the jobspec matrix, we were told by our MD that we earnt as much as, or in some cases more than, some middle- to senior managers in other parts of the company, and that that would never do.

Fortunately, our MD has since realised that actually, perhaps we deserve the money we're paid, and that going too long without a pay rise and in worsening conditions is liable to make people think very seriously about quitting, and that with the hiring freeze on it's a lot, lot easier to pay us a decent wage, HR and middle managers be damned.