Date:         Fri, 16 Apr 2010 22:55:56 -0400
Reply-To:     Rowan Tipton <uther@DRAGONHOME.ORG>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Rowan Tipton <uther@DRAGONHOME.ORG>
Subject:      Re: subject Phrydae: Super-computer soon to use water-cooled
              system for heating occupants
Comments: To: Mike Miller <mwmiller@CWNET.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <C7EE6CC9.A792%mwmiller@cwnet.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes

On Apr 16, 2010, at 10:36 PM, Mike Miller wrote:

> Lawrence Livermore Labs used to be heated by the output of the
> computers
> they had. At one time, I believe, in the 60s and up to I don't know
> when
> they had at least one of every mainframe and supercomputer around.
> Lots and
> lots of heat.

It takes lots of computers to design bombs.

r


>
> Or so I was told by folks who worked there and the Berkeley Lawrence
> Labs.
>
> Mike
>
>
> On 4/16/10 3:20 PM, "Peter DiFalco" <peter.difalco@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>
>> http://www.livescience.com/technology/Water-Cooled-Supercomputers-Internet-100
>> 415.html
>>
>> FTA: "Since water and electronics don't mix, the coolant water in
>> Aquasar
>> does not ever directly touch the silicon computer chips themselves.
>> If a
>> leak should occur, internal sensors would shut the machine down
>> before
>> causing a short circuit."
>>
>> Hey, I wonder why they don't just let it set off a buzzer and make
>> white
>> smoke...
>>
>> "The tubes interspersed in Aquasar will link back to the primary
>> water
>> transportation network where some of the collected heat will then be
>> passively released back into the heating system of ETH Zurich."
>>
>> ....Which implies that the building's occupants will need to wear
>> their
>> earmuffs and overcoats until the programmers have had a chance to
>> drive the
>> supercomputer around the block for half an hour.
>>
>> The real question is whether they'll still have toasty feet even
>> while the
>> air conditioning's on in the summer.
>>
>> Happy Friday!

I remain, as always
YrLyl&ObdntSrvnt,

r