[Beowulf] Re: gamers: evil or just useless? ;)

[SIM DOG]

G'day Kyle and all


> So how is having a PPU any different from dual- or quad-core? Or do
> the advantages lie in it's specialized physics-handling abilities
> [programming, instructions]?

You're right about application of a PPU in a Beowulf. I just happen to
run galaxy dynamics on my Beowulf. Most of that is Newtonian
gravitational calcs so a "raw" PPU could be a nice thing to have.

Strictly speaking this leads us away from the Beowulf model of COTS but
I threw it in as an example of the potential gains from gaming in some
science applications.

S