6809 programming in machine code, me too. I couldn't afford an assembler.
I actually enjoy the process of figuring out how to program for something like the cell, but once I've been through it once, then I don't want to have to do it that way anymore. The joy is in solving the problem.
Actually, IBM brings the CPU design brains more than the fab. They offer the service of designing custom processors and they have much experience in this arena, plus they happen to have PowerPC available for the controlling proc.
Also, as far as support goes, if the price savings are big enough (say 50%) one can just ignore hardware breaking down and replace it with a new box. Works well for general purpose compute needs
Good for some situations, not a good plan when downtime costs you money. That's when the quality and maint services of the large vendors pay off.
it gets great performance (although not necessarily on the kind of workloads buyers are looking for)
So the workloads found in business application and database servers are not what buyers are looking for? These are the workloads where the power5 has excelled.
I know what you mean, I can never get away from the paparazzi! But at least here on slahdot I can lurk as "RaftPeople" without anyone realizing my incredible talent and world-wide fame.
Unless there was an option to have JCL from the mainframe on the System 38 (midrange), the control language on that machine was called Control Language and abbreviated CL.
JCL and CL look very different. Either way, we get the idea.
I think the standard Tufte line on this, is that if a 'few words' are all you're going to get up there, then why not just say the words and leave the screen blank?
2 reasons:
1) The powerpoint words summarize your point while the detail you speak expands on it and gives examples, etc.
2) When the presentation is distributed, the summarized line is a helpful cue/mnemonic for those that can't memorize the entire presentation word for word, and those that don't want to wade through an enourmous amount of detail to remember each point.
I personally have found this style very to be an extremely effective way to communicate information in presentations I have sat through. When I took notes in college, I didn't write every single word the prof. spoke, I summarized the key points.
While the spin is governed by a more complex set of equations, the spin vector is used frequently when communicating the direction of axis of spin. The wording is perfectly fine for the audience and is used often by physicists when describing this attribute of particles to non-physicists.
Tell that to the scientists at IBM and various universities that have been constructing limited quantum computing devices using that very parlor trick.
It's interesting to see IBM taking jabs at Sun, though
Typically, in recent years, IBM has been pretty classy about not disparaging competitors while Sun seemed to spend most of their waking hours trash-talking just about everyone.
When I see one company diss-ing another I tend to think less of them and I assume they are speaking from a position of weakness (which is what I have thought about Sun for years). So when I read this I tend to think like you are, is IBM worried about something?
Honestly, who is really facing the greatest risk? The venture capitalist who invests a few million in a startup, knowing that his other, less risky investments guarantee him high income for life? Or the person who takes a minimum wage job knowing that she could be fired in a couple of weeks and be unable to make rent, or spend the next two years working for a manager who likes to feel her up, or injure herself on the job and have to fight her employer tooth and nail to get her medical bills paid?
Honestly, who is really facing the greater risk? The small business owner that put his/her life savings into the company and has the house mortgaged to the hilt to make payroll? Or the worker whose spouse is already making enough to pay for the house and a boat and is only working because he/she doesn't want to stay home?
Although both of our examples exist in the workplace, neither is representative so they add no value to the debate.
I programmed the 6809 also and I too had that Lance Leventhal book. I couldn't afford an assembler so I programmed in machine language, used that book a lot. When I saw what my friends were doing with the 6502 and other processors I was surprised with how basic they were and how advanced the 6809 was with 16 bit operations and it seems like there was something about addressing that was more advanced on the 6809 but I can't remember what.
The reason humans are able to use the "facts" we have accumulated over the years for problem solving (intelligence), is because the facts are intertwined with our experiences and our mental model of our world. This mental model is absolutely critical to be able to extrapolate information from any given "fact."
For example, when someone says "it's raining" and you are about to take a walk, your brain is able to conclude you will get wet due to the underlying understanding of the physical environment and the ability to project/simulate a future scenario where your body is not standing under the cover of a roof.
IMHO, text based databases which attempt to solve this problem without supplying a system trained in all of our human experiences and interactions with the physical world, will fall far short of our desires for AI. By having rules and relationships between the facts it would appear that such a system is in place, but in reality it is an attempt to enumerate the possibilities we encounter in the real world instead of supplying an underlying model that can extrapolate those relationships from a lower level "base" understanding of the physical environment.
The Segway has a niche in transportation. I see them being used. While I agree with your sentiment about futurists (generally), I think your choice of examples doesn't support your argument.
Clearly math is merely a tool, science is where it's at. For example, where would Einstein be if scientists hadn't proven his theories? Nowhere, that's where. He would just be another guy running around with some crazy numbers, and stuff. Matter of fact, math is made up, so how valuable can his theories really be?
Slashdot Mirror
6809 programming in machine code, me too. I couldn't afford an assembler.
I actually enjoy the process of figuring out how to program for something like the cell, but once I've been through it once, then I don't want to have to do it that way anymore. The joy is in solving the problem.
IBM brings the Fab Brians + other skills
Actually, IBM brings the CPU design brains more than the fab. They offer the service of designing custom processors and they have much experience in this arena, plus they happen to have PowerPC available for the controlling proc.
Is it spelled out in the contract that they will block some traffic addressed to you?
I've spotted significant errors and spin in other Inquirer articles. Not a good source.
Also, as far as support goes, if the price savings are big enough (say 50%) one can just ignore hardware breaking down and replace it with a new box. Works well for general purpose compute needs
Good for some situations, not a good plan when downtime costs you money. That's when the quality and maint services of the large vendors pay off.
it gets great performance (although not necessarily on the kind of workloads buyers are looking for)
So the workloads found in business application and database servers are not what buyers are looking for? These are the workloads where the power5 has excelled.
...I haven't found it in decades of trying...
I know what you mean, I can never get away from the paparazzi! But at least here on slahdot I can lurk as "RaftPeople" without anyone realizing my incredible talent and world-wide fame.
Unless there was an option to have JCL from the mainframe on the System 38 (midrange), the control language on that machine was called Control Language and abbreviated CL.
JCL and CL look very different. Either way, we get the idea.
Have the person talk long and talk slow.
I think the standard Tufte line on this, is that if a 'few words' are all you're going to get up there, then why not just say the words and leave the screen blank?
2 reasons:
1) The powerpoint words summarize your point while the detail you speak expands on it and gives examples, etc.
2) When the presentation is distributed, the summarized line is a helpful cue/mnemonic for those that can't memorize the entire presentation word for word, and those that don't want to wade through an enourmous amount of detail to remember each point.
I personally have found this style very to be an extremely effective way to communicate information in presentations I have sat through. When I took notes in college, I didn't write every single word the prof. spoke, I summarized the key points.
While the spin is governed by a more complex set of equations, the spin vector is used frequently when communicating the direction of axis of spin. The wording is perfectly fine for the audience and is used often by physicists when describing this attribute of particles to non-physicists.
Just a few weeks ago there was an article about IBM in conjunction with Georgia Tech, supercooled reaching 500ghz, room temp was at about 300ghz.
Hos is this new one a world record at 110ghz?
Tell that to the scientists at IBM and various universities that have been constructing limited quantum computing devices using that very parlor trick.
If the "sloppy" term for angular momentum in an electron is "spin", what is your problem with people using that term?
It's interesting to see IBM taking jabs at Sun, though
Typically, in recent years, IBM has been pretty classy about not disparaging competitors while Sun seemed to spend most of their waking hours trash-talking just about everyone.
When I see one company diss-ing another I tend to think less of them and I assume they are speaking from a position of weakness (which is what I have thought about Sun for years). So when I read this I tend to think like you are, is IBM worried about something?
Honestly, who is really facing the greatest risk? The venture capitalist who invests a few million in a startup, knowing that his other, less risky investments guarantee him high income for life? Or the person who takes a minimum wage job knowing that she could be fired in a couple of weeks and be unable to make rent, or spend the next two years working for a manager who likes to feel her up, or injure herself on the job and have to fight her employer tooth and nail to get her medical bills paid?
Honestly, who is really facing the greater risk? The small business owner that put his/her life savings into the company and has the house mortgaged to the hilt to make payroll? Or the worker whose spouse is already making enough to pay for the house and a boat and is only working because he/she doesn't want to stay home?
Although both of our examples exist in the workplace, neither is representative so they add no value to the debate.
Another day, another ridiculously obvious, trivial and not-new patent from Amazon.
Abuse of the patent system is why I don't shop at Amazon.
Not only is your description accurate about business uses for computers, this has been the case since the mainframes in the 60's and probably b4.
I programmed the 6809 also and I too had that Lance Leventhal book. I couldn't afford an assembler so I programmed in machine language, used that book a lot. When I saw what my friends were doing with the 6502 and other processors I was surprised with how basic they were and how advanced the 6809 was with 16 bit operations and it seems like there was something about addressing that was more advanced on the 6809 but I can't remember what.
The reason humans are able to use the "facts" we have accumulated over the years for problem solving (intelligence), is because the facts are intertwined with our experiences and our mental model of our world. This mental model is absolutely critical to be able to extrapolate information from any given "fact."
For example, when someone says "it's raining" and you are about to take a walk, your brain is able to conclude you will get wet due to the underlying understanding of the physical environment and the ability to project/simulate a future scenario where your body is not standing under the cover of a roof.
IMHO, text based databases which attempt to solve this problem without supplying a system trained in all of our human experiences and interactions with the physical world, will fall far short of our desires for AI. By having rules and relationships between the facts it would appear that such a system is in place, but in reality it is an attempt to enumerate the possibilities we encounter in the real world instead of supplying an underlying model that can extrapolate those relationships from a lower level "base" understanding of the physical environment.
The Segway has a niche in transportation. I see them being used. While I agree with your sentiment about futurists (generally), I think your choice of examples doesn't support your argument.
Definately one of my favorite onion articles over the years.
Should sell pretty well in the ME.
IBM
Clearly math is merely a tool, science is where it's at. For example, where would Einstein be if scientists hadn't proven his theories? Nowhere, that's where. He would just be another guy running around with some crazy numbers, and stuff. Matter of fact, math is made up, so how valuable can his theories really be?