[Beowulf] Pretty High Performance Computing

[Jon Forrest]

Given the recent discussion of whether running
multiple services and other such things affects
the running of a cluster, I'd like to propose
a new classification of computing.

I call this Pretty High Performance Computing (PHPC).
This is a style of computing where you sacrifice
absolute high performance because of issues relating
to any combination of convenience, laziness, or lack
of knowledge.

I know I've been guilty of all three but the funny
thing is that science seems to get done anyway.
There's no doubt computations would get done a little faster
if I or the scientists spent more time worrying
about microsecond latency, parallel barriers,
or XML overhead but reality always gets in the way.
In the future I hope to sin less often but it's a
growing experience. Reading this, and other, email
lists sometimes helps.

Cordially,

-- 
Jon Forrest
Research Computing Support
College of Chemistry
173 Tan Hall
University of California Berkeley
Berkeley, CA
94720-1460
510-643-1032
jlforrest at berkeley.edu