🚀 go-pugleaf

>> > The most powerful publicly know computer is a massively PARALLEL
>Pentium
>> > Pro machine that is to model nuclear decay.  I'd be surprised if they

...snip...


>> 
>> Please, name this system.  I have never heard of PPros being used in
>> massive parallel.  In fact, I'm pretty sure you can't do that with
>> PPro chips.  You can massively parallel UltraSPARC chips and Alphas.
>> 
>> Besides, wouldn't you say the most powerful computer that is publicly
>> known (i.e., not known only to a segment of the scientific community)
>> is Deep Blue?
>> 

...snip...


>Just curious, what do you consider massively parallel? UNISYS has just
>released a file server that supports 10 PPros. Just thought I'd mention it.

That is certainly parallel, but not *massively* parallel.  You don't
think they throw around those adjectives for no good reason now?  ;)

PPro chips are certainly 'parallelizeable'.  In fact they form the
core of the worlds fastest supercomputer at the moment.

The Intel Pentium Pro massively parallel supercomputer has 7264 
processors (that is not a misprint) in 57 seperate cabinets.
Now the exact definition of massive may be vague, but I think we
will agree that this certainly qualifies!!   This machine is the
first to achieve 1 Teraflop.  By the way, this was a demonstration
of the machine, but the eventual configuration will have 9072
processors (!).  

Now don't get all excited, Windoze 95 cannot deal with multi processor
motherboards.  We'll have to upgrade to Win [20]97 to use this
baby at home.  And besides, the 57+ cabinets make  it tough to fit on
any computer desk manufactured today.

Gee, I wonder what WinBench, ctcm, cachechk etc... scores will be! ;)



All kidding aside, check out: 

               http://www.sandia.gov/media/teraflop.htm.

Unlike the SP2 (e.g. Deep Blue), there is only of these very
specialized machines.  Irregardless, This is certainly a milestone 
on computing power.  It is primarly used to play Quake, and, oh yeah,  
occasional nuclear blast simulations.  ;)

Paul