Virginia Tech to build one of world's five fastest computers... with Dual G5s

Let's see. We start with Dual 2GHz G5 PowerMacs, and assume they want RAM and HD maxed out and don't give a crap about video card, screens, wireless network etc.
We have a pricetag at $8,474.00, according to AppleStore.
$8,474.00 x 1,100 = $9,321,400.00

Let's hope they didn't order AppleCare for each of these...
 
I went to the Apple store and logged in as a V tech student. Considering that even these prices would still be too high, a student discount for a dual g5, 8gig ram, and combo instead of super drive, the price is around $6,900. This comes out to more like $7.6 million.
Note: This figure is almost exactly $7.6 million more than I have :)

[Edit: I forgot to add that an order this big would have to be at a huge discount so the price per unit could actually be cheap..maybe 20-40% just a guess]
 
do you know how much computing power that is???? Holy dog sh*t!! thats insane (in a good way)!! what were they using it for again?
 
assume they want RAM and HD maxed out
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While they would (and are the article reiterates this) gain an advantage by boosting the RAM in every node, the harddrive space would be of little significance if it is a real cluster. any major (tera/peta bytes) hard drive space would be provided by some kind of SAN or XServe Raid type, product not the individual nodes. This would reduce the cost. While hard drives are not especially expensive, SerialATA drives aren't exactly 20cents each, and for this, they could probably custom-order them to have a bare minimum (40 or 60 gig) in each node.
 
Ok, i just checked the apple store. The smallest serial ata drive THEY offer is 160gb. But i would image apple would be somewhat cooperative, especially in the case of things like video card, etc.
 
Originally posted by weaselworld
Solitaire.
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No. No matter how much of a Mac-user you are, Windows will always be a must-have OS for Solitaire...

Of course, this could be used to play Doom 3 through Virtual PC...that's what needs all this power, I'm sure of it!
 
Yes, solitaire. :) :D

Considering VT's making an $8 million purchase of Apple's computers, accounting for 67% of their revenues this quarter (;)), I'm positive Apple will give them a hefty discount on anything they'll need.

Let's see: 1100 computers x 2 Ghz each x 2 processors each = 4.4 Thz. Wow.

Weaselworld: Take Heather Locklear off your avatar! I can't stop looking at it! :)
 
It's the damned Hokies that are keeping me from my dual 2GHz G5??? May Duke squash them mightly on the BBall court this year!
 
...

Okay... don't be prejudiced now...

Either way, that's a lot of power.
 
It sounds cool and all, but what the heck is the point? Also, how on earth could they afford that? I'm a huge Mac fan and all, but if I were on the board of that school, I'd be questioning that decision very carefully.

A multimillion dollar investment just to get recognized in some tech review as having one of the top five super computers seems like a waste.

Of course the Mac fan side of me loves this, but sheesh!
 
Universities this size have money like that to throw around, all in the name of research. They are also competing against the other universities for the PR.
Does anyone know what type of software they run on these? I'd assume some type of simulation or monster AI to play chess against.
 
Virginia Tech will use the cluster to perform research on nanoscale electronics, chemistry, aerodynamics, molecular statics, computational acoustics and molecular modeling, among other tasks.
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What, no solitaire?
 
No, no solitaire: they'll probably run some kind of Linux, so Gnibbles all the way!
 
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