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Virginia Tech to upgrade supercomputer to Xserve G5
updated 06:25 am EST, Tue January 27, 2004
\'Big Mac\' to use Xserve G5
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University will (from PowerMac G5s), according to Reuters: "The new system, which went online toward the end of last year and which Virginia Tech said was the most powerful supercomputer at any university in the world at the time, will be completed by May. By moving to the thinner servers, the supercomputer will consume less power and generate less heat" as well as reduce the system's size by a factor of three. "The price of the upgrade has not yet settled on, but Varadarajan said it would be minimal compared to the cost of building a new supercomputer from scratch."
second hand
01/27, 07:26am reply
Great, so how much for the old ones ?
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re: second hand
01/27, 07:39am reply
Similar thoughts here...
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Fuckers
01/27, 07:56am reply
First they take the first 1100 of the things, now they're going to swap 'em out? But as y'all said, now they'll be available used, but probably as faculty etc. machines.
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kind of a waste...
01/27, 03:09pm reply
why didn't they wait till the x-serve came out? Was it a PR push from Apple for them to 'show-off' the lastest and greates at the expense of a University? The university are the suckers. hahah...
but i guess they win either way. The students get to have a butt load of great computers. But still what a pain the a$$!
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sell them on eBay...
01/27, 03:13pm reply
They should sell them on eBay. Think about it: "This PowerMac G5 was once part of the world's 3rd fastest supercomputer!" People would pay MORE than new price for that, and Va Tech would probably make a profit on their original purchase.
Re: "kind of a waste": They didn't wait because the supercomputer list cut-off date was (around) October 1st!! If you haven't got a freaking clue about a story, don't make snide, nasty comments. Jackass.
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DIBs
01/27, 04:17pm reply
I would very much like to get a good deal on one of those......
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No Deals
01/27, 04:49pm reply
Apple is selling these with a certicificate for full retail price, but with only a 3-month warranty (ie- they really want you to buy AppleCare).
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Re: No Deals
01/27, 07:28pm reply
Quote your source or go away.
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Of course...
01/28, 12:06am reply
Apple SHOULD be advertising the h*** out of this (on TV, not just on the web), but given Apple's toothless, anemic marketing, all we'll get are more iPod commercials...what a waste.
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Re: of course
01/28, 01:27am reply
Sure. They should be plastering all TV channels with commercials about a supercomputer that does 10TFs in some benchmark. Because we know that will impress so many people. Um, why waste the money hawking a project that only a few viewers would have any need for. And don't talk to me about exposure, because if they did air the commercial, there'd be 600 PC trolls all over forums and CNet telling how Apple is lying about this or that and they should stick with PCs. Oh wait, they already are doing that.
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