Top supercomputers

hey, atleast south africa has 1 computer in the worlds top 500 list of supercomputers.

not sure if that is an accomplishment or an insult ....
 
Wonder where its used in SA?

If only the article wasn't so cagey on details about the South African IBM BlueGene computer based at the Centre for High Performance Computing in Cape Town. That runs Suse Linux Enterprise 9 and comes in at a credible position 128. :)
 
If only the article wasn't so cagey on details about the South African IBM BlueGene computer based at the Centre for High Performance Computing in Cape Town. That runs Suse Linux Enterprise 9 and comes in at a credible position 128. :)

Lol - thanks. :)
 
Windows-based machines account for a total of 5 of the top 500 supercomputers in the world.

:D :D :D :D

All based in Redmond VA or slootvreter's office?
 
The CSIR uses the machine for various applications although it is mostly biologically bases research. That is according to the periodical published by the CSIR.
 
The IBM Roadrunner, which is the fastest, uses Red Hat Enterprise Linux along with Fedora as its operating systems.

I couldn't resist! :D It's true, though.
 
Wasn't the one big advantage to linux that it doesn't charge per processor, like Microsoft does?

Dunno about their licensing scheme, but some (if not all) commercial OS'es also charge extra per extra processor, like SCO with SCO Openserver.

Best would be to read the T&C's of every supplier to get an accurate picture - but Linux trumps them all as you don't need any additional licencing per processor. :D
 
Wasn't the one big advantage to linux that it doesn't charge per processor, like Microsoft does?
Do you honestly think that at that scale, licence fees are even an issue? Having access to source code, perhaps, but not licence fees.

Edit: Remember, most of those machines are used for research and also to push the limits of what is possible. I don't think CERN, for example, would say "we can make it faster if we use M$, but it's just too damn expensive to install it!"
Besides, I think M$ would probably pay for the privilege to have its OS installed on the world's fastest computer.
 
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I know my sister uses the cape town one for her PhD in oceanogrophy. She uses the weather models they have on it. Think she said she had 8tb of data sitting on it.
 
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