Cray begins selling new mini-supercomputers

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Can't say for sure...

re the biting.

I was mainly curious as to how the 12 processor Cray stacked up against an equivalent 12 processor G5 (tower or server) cluster... both capabilities and price-wise.

But the G5 (and XServe) can't bite too badly as it was chosen over other suppliers (M. Dell must have had a conniption losing to Apple (Jobs)) for price and performance by the Virginia Tech team when they first created the 3rd fastest computer in the world at a fraction of the cost using off-the-shelf G5 towers. They then converted to the original XServe and are now moving over to the latest XServe (hence they're not presently being listed... down for maintenance/re-structuring).

>>> If I can get a G5 processor in an Apple server, and I can get the same one in an IBM eServer - why would I get the Apple? The best part of an Apple is its interface with the human. Its form as well as function. >>>

The Mac OSX interface IS the difference and advantage (though "real server admins" dismiss and don't use the GUI).

>>> An Apple Xserver is an impersonal box in a rack, with a CLI, and ONLY running numerical computations. ACK! Apples should be ENJOYED - not put in a dark closet!>>>

I haven't worked on one, but I believe the xServe also uses the OSX interface. You have the choice of using the GUI or CLI. Someone I know who does maintain an XServe (in a college's multimedia labs) says it's super easy to administer and use.

Well designed, powerful, (relatively) inexpensive, easy to set up and maintain, easily "clustered", uses UNIX (ala OSX... oh, and unlimited (seat) licenses too unlike Windows setups)... what's not to like about an XServe?

Posted by: MacCanuck   Posted on: 10/05/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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