also sprach Oleg <oleg@tw304h3.cpmc.columbia.edu> [2002.10.03.0851 +0200]:
> Consider a node that is a _dual_ Athlon 4 at 2000+ MHz. To match it
> with pure CPU speed using XBoxes, one will need 6 of them. That's
> $1000 right there. Add the mod chips, labor, network costs,
> maintenance extras, inability to upgrade; and the XBox option just
> doesn't seem very attractive to me.
With evolutionary computation and many other computational processes,
a dual Athlon 2GHz cannot be compared to 6 XBoxes. Sure, the two 2GHz
processors will be done blazingly fast, but if you're talking about
something not quite as computationally intensive as graphics or some
other major matrix calculation, then the 700 MHz may well compare. And
in that case, you can do 6 operations in almost the same time as 2 on
the Athlon.
> OTOH I wouldn't want to stand in the way of innovation, so if you
> _must_ make a Linux cluster out of Xboxes, good luck!
If I _must_ do something, then I am in the wrong place. No, we're
trying to evaluate possibilties, and your comments (now that they are
becoming more founded) are definitely going to be taken into account.
Our mind's not set on the XBox. But right now, there are many things
speaking for it.
Anyway, we bought one, we'll see what happens...
--
martin; (greetings from the heart of the sun.)
\____ echo mailto: !#^."<*>"|tr "<*> mailto:"; net@madduck
micros~1: for when quality, reliability, and security
just aren't that important!
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