The number dropped because they used a better benchmark (testing all the nodes, rather than a subset). It'll probably go up because now they'll be able to tune the system to get around bottlenecks.
The big difference is that a "supercomputer" is usually heavily optimized towards vector operations: performing the same operation on many data elements at once. Think of it as SIMD (MMX, SSE, etc), only more so. A "supercomputer" would be pretty useless at ordinary tasks such as web browsing or word processing, as those can't be vectorized or parallelized very well. A "supercomputer" might be good as a graphics or physics engine for gaming, but that's sort of like using a cannon to swat a fly: a lot of work for something that can be done with a simple flyswatter.
what does make noise though are the 9 fans in my case. however, when i try to sandwich them i don't get the same temperature benefits like the reviewer does with his hard drive. oh well.
And what do you do when rebooting the box uses up your entire downtime budget for the next year? "Five nines" uptime means the computer is unavailable for no more than 315 seconds a year.
The three laws are no less applicable to "dumb" robots than to AIs. As Asimov himself wrote, a generalized form of the laws can be applied to any tool:
1) A tool must not harm the user. 2) A tool must do the task it is designed for. 3) A tool must not damage itself in the course of normal functioning.
Good point, but it's pretty hard to...run Linux on [a human]. It's probably possible, but would require drugs and brainwashing and would negate any cost savings over robots
The problem with subduction zones is that those tend to have fairly high levels of life that could be affected if/when the containers start leaking, and they probably will leak in the hundreds to thousands of years subduction will take.
A better solution would be to bury the waste under the seabed in the center of tectonic plates. There's very little life in the area, and none once you get a few hundred yards under the seabed. There's no water circulation that deep, either, so leaks won't be a problem.
I just hope they don't use this in space weaponry.
For space combat, the only weapons that make sense are lasers and missiles. Since you can shoot down missiles, but can't shoot down lasers, guess what?
Windows 98 may be "obsolete" and "replaced", but it's still the second-most-common OS in use, after WinXP. It's also the last Microsoft OS to reliably run old MS-DOS programs. Approximately 30% of all computers are running '98.
and what about dot matrix printers?? They've been out circulation for the most part for a while. Only a small segment of the business community still uses them.
That small segment is probably going to keep dot-matrix printers from ever going obsolete. There is no other printer technology (except the even older daisy-wheel and ball printers) that will let you fill out all layers of a carbon-copy form. For situations where you need a multi-copy form, such as when you need a printer to fill out part, and a human to fill out part), dot-matrix printers are the only choice.
What they're saying is dead is the "fat client" version of the client/server architecture, where the client program does the computing. The article states that it's being replaced with technologies such as thin-client and web client applications, where the the server does the real work, and with multi-layer applications.
Slashdot Mirror
Part of the reason Microsoft's flight simulator is so good is that they purchased it from SubLogic -- the guys who made your C64 flight simulator.
And did you ever manage level flight in that SR-71?
The number dropped because they used a better benchmark (testing all the nodes, rather than a subset). It'll probably go up because now they'll be able to tune the system to get around bottlenecks.
The big difference is that a "supercomputer" is usually heavily optimized towards vector operations: performing the same operation on many data elements at once. Think of it as SIMD (MMX, SSE, etc), only more so. A "supercomputer" would be pretty useless at ordinary tasks such as web browsing or word processing, as those can't be vectorized or parallelized very well. A "supercomputer" might be good as a graphics or physics engine for gaming, but that's sort of like using a cannon to swat a fly: a lot of work for something that can be done with a simple flyswatter.
what does make noise though are the 9 fans in my case. however, when i try to sandwich them i don't get the same temperature benefits like the reviewer does with his hard drive. oh well.
Maybe you should look into voltage regulators or fan mufflers then?
And what do you do when rebooting the box uses up your entire downtime budget for the next year? "Five nines" uptime means the computer is unavailable for no more than 315 seconds a year.
The three laws are no less applicable to "dumb" robots than to AIs. As Asimov himself wrote, a generalized form of the laws can be applied to any tool:
1) A tool must not harm the user.
2) A tool must do the task it is designed for.
3) A tool must not damage itself in the course of normal functioning.
Humans can be mass-produced using unskilled labor. Robots require skilled labor.
Good point, but it's pretty hard to...run Linux on [a human]. It's probably possible, but would require drugs and brainwashing and would negate any cost savings over robots
What compiler would you recommend?
It's got the first half of the first law, "A robot shall not harm a human", in the form of safety cutouts and whatnot.
Roombas are missing the second half of the first law, and seem to be rather weak in the third law, but other than that....
It's out there.
The problem with subduction zones is that those tend to have fairly high levels of life that could be affected if/when the containers start leaking, and they probably will leak in the hundreds to thousands of years subduction will take.
A better solution would be to bury the waste under the seabed in the center of tectonic plates. There's very little life in the area, and none once you get a few hundred yards under the seabed. There's no water circulation that deep, either, so leaks won't be a problem.
If you're paranoid about static, work on a humid day, or use a humidifier in the room you're working in.
I've got two systems. On one of them, I can hotplug the PS2 mouse just fine. On the other, plugging in requires a reboot.
How do you tell a disconnect from turning the machine off for the night?
In astronomy, "metals" is the technical term for anything other than hydrogen or helium.
Well, since he's using a parallel SCSI interface, I don't see how comparing it against a serial ATA interface would be "serial to serial".
No one expects the Spanish Inquisition!
Your sig seems singularly appropriate here.
It runs DOS programs about as well as it runs anything else -- not well.
I just hope they don't use this in space weaponry.
For space combat, the only weapons that make sense are lasers and missiles. Since you can shoot down missiles, but can't shoot down lasers, guess what?
Is a quantum leap the smallest possible discrete change?
It's also how a laser works.
One word: Mirrors
Windows 98 may be "obsolete" and "replaced", but it's still the second-most-common OS in use, after WinXP. It's also the last Microsoft OS to reliably run old MS-DOS programs. Approximately 30% of all computers are running '98.
and what about dot matrix printers?? They've been out circulation for the most part for a while. Only a small segment of the business community still uses them.
That small segment is probably going to keep dot-matrix printers from ever going obsolete. There is no other printer technology (except the even older daisy-wheel and ball printers) that will let you fill out all layers of a carbon-copy form. For situations where you need a multi-copy form, such as when you need a printer to fill out part, and a human to fill out part), dot-matrix printers are the only choice.
What they're saying is dead is the "fat client" version of the client/server architecture, where the client program does the computing. The article states that it's being replaced with technologies such as thin-client and web client applications, where the the server does the real work, and with multi-layer applications.