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Geek Culture / THE GRID - Grid computing - the future?

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Redmotion
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Posted: 24th Jul 2003 12:35
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http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=33405

Check this out. Saw this on the news last night. It's kind of a perpetual version of the 'shared' data processing that SETI uses. Where the power of many computers is harnessed for your /or an organisations convience...

So how does the future pan out? Heres some suggestions - (by all means disagree!!) :

1.Software will be used and hired ONLY online? This will move onto film and video/DVD/music.

2.Instead of buying a physical object you will buy a license to watch it/use it whenever and whereever (in your lunchbreak at work say) you wish. Licenses numbers will be USER based not UNIT based and involve a monthly fee rather than one off payment.

3. Software wont exist on your machine. Your machine will become a "portal" - a viewing port I/O only - your creations will exist somewhere out there or on your own machine. So it won't matter what proccessor/memory you have.

4. Piracy will be pretty much wiped out "overnight" - when software cannot be "physically" owned.

5. PC sales will plummet as people realise they dont have to keep
up-grading to more powerful machines?

6. I think hardware manufacturers might not like this!! Or the price of hardware will explode! But it will give us to licence the use of super-super computers... but I'm sure everyone will want one - which means the power will be diminished!!

7.Software developers will not have to worry about PLATFORMS for game development...and it will become open source based.

Does it sound good or bad? I don't know... I think personal computer power in the domestic market will remain there... It could mean that the PS4 or 5 has photoreal-raytraced imaging... It could mean everyone can gain access to quantum computing power on top of their own machines power without needing some garage sized power generator in their back garden!!!
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Shadow Robert
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Posted: 24th Jul 2003 13:18
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nice idea... you know that Windows Server 2003 already does most of this and the rest are ideas that go along with it.

the only difference is the 10gbit connection, which really is just a case of cost - and i doubt that many will be able to afford it, just look at how few people actually have broadband either through cost of living situation

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UberTuba
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Posted: 24th Jul 2003 13:32
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agree with raven totally. companies might use it tough.
open source games? that kinda takes te point out of commercial
development

Life is a terminal disease.
You never survive it.
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Martyn Pittuck
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Posted: 24th Jul 2003 17:42
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Yeah, but why bother with source code if you machine will not be able to compile it.

I imagine that Wi-Fi could be used for somming like this now. Parralel computing an all

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MrTAToad
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Posted: 24th Jul 2003 18:19
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I dont see it happening - internet connection is too unstable, especially for those who has slow connections.
If your downloading something, how do you know the program wont be downloading other stuff or perhaps uploading personal stuff.
Why keep paying for software/music/whatever that you want to use ? A one-off lifetime usage is best.

The only real use for it is in the scientific industry.


Its better than a poke in the eye...
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Martyn Pittuck
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Posted: 24th Jul 2003 18:35
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Not really. I remember MS's big .net idea. It was to licence software like this, and to be able to use it online.

Just imagine, no more security patches for outlook, no more need to spend hundreds on the latest Office Suite when it comes out. Or indeed the latest version of MSVS, just goto the options page and change the program from the old version the the new one.

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MrTAToad
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Posted: 24th Jul 2003 19:34 Edited at: 24th Jul 2003 19:35
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I dont really see .NET catching on really...
The problem can be that the software will be upgraded (when you want to use the previous version), your suddenly dont allowed to use the software for some reason - it will cause too many problems...


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Redmotion
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Posted: 24th Jul 2003 20:38 Edited at: 24th Jul 2003 20:40
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I was suggesting that ultimately in about 5 years (when 10gb connections are mainstream - and countries have to supply to compete on a commercial/economic level - so they won't delay it too long - unless they are stupid and want major companies to go overseas.) your computer becomes nothing more than an input/output device linked to the TV/monitor/linked to major-major computing power. We are talking entertainment convergence on a massive scale. And no more pirating, but because of that music licenses will be cheaper. (I fact I think that would kill the ease of music/file sharing dead in it's tracks.)

I'm talking perpetual internet access/music on a "walkman" linked to the internet permanently where ever you are! It's happening now (mp3player/mobilephone/pdas/internet access) but you will end up wearing glasses that let you know if products in shops you are walking past are in stock or not - or even order them so they are ready when you walk in. (And a hundred more likely things I can't be bothered to think of at the moment.) Even the 'grid glasses' will have 10gb wireless transfer access oneday. How? I don't know... But there is already nano technology in suncream - so I'm sure someones thinking about it!

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Something a bit bigger(understatement of the year) st art/concept/design doc stage
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the_winch
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Posted: 24th Jul 2003 21:36
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In 5 years time computers will be faster,memory cheaper so why bother. It will be hard to sell to the masses when they find out they can't get free music and now have to pay to use an office program they only use every so often. Why would they go for that over the <£300 computer that will me more than powerfull enough for almost all home users and business use. Why would a business put even more reliance on external companies and people. It would be nice to loose your business and job because some other company went bust.
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Redmotion
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Posted: 25th Jul 2003 15:46 Edited at: 25th Jul 2003 15:47
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If you wanted to 'hire' extra 1000 computers worth of power - you could - "get tommorrows computing power today" - kind of thing. Scientists/military will use this extensively - more than even now - but it could become a commercial home based way to compute also. Lets be serious if microsoft could write simple programs like word proccessors/outlook properly then there are only a few niche markets for increasing power in the home PC market - Games/Music making/3D/video editing/etc. When data transfer becomes fast enough you can hire new computing power. Maybe we will even be able to lease our own machines power (when they are idle) and earn cash through companies that lease.

Why should people get free music? Or software for that matter. Although it is a good point about external companies going bust - that is a complicated issue that I'm sure could easily be avoided. Governments step in whereever they like to lift companies (usually owned by friends!) out of a pit. Or are bought out by others because
of a constant flow of cash/or dedicated customers.

PROJECTS:
Cyberbowl (70% done)
Something a bit bigger(understatement of the year) st art/concept/design doc stage
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Dazzag
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Posted: 25th Jul 2003 15:51
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They were saying all this 5 years ago. Hasn't really happened on the scale they were talking about (pretty much what you said). eg. They were saying Office tools by 2000 would be totally online, and you would pay for each document you processed etc.

Hell, 12 years ago my old lecturer was harping on about similar concepts, with programming languages not existing, and pretty much everything being obtainable via a simple to use one-tool-suits-all product (for each area). Hopefully he is enjoying life in the OAP farm, the cheerless tosspot...

Cheers

I am 99% probably lying in bed right now... so don't blame me for crappy typing
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