[MLUG - DISCUSSION] Minn is way cool

[Mike Miller <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

Just so you know what you're missing...

I visited the supercomputing institute today here in Minneapolis.  They
gave me an account (with 10,000 CPU-hrs) on an IBM cluster with a total of
655 GB RAM (most CPUs can access 16 GB).  They showed me their new
96-processor SGI Origin 3800.  It has a massive striped RAID that can pump
400 MB/s (3.2 Gbps) of data to the CPUs, but each CPU can take in 'only'
200 MB/s (it uses fiber optics).  I won't be using that machine, I don't
think, but it was awesome just to stand before it.

Then I went back to my office and ordered a 1.7 GHz P4 with 512 MB RAM and
a 21" Trinitron monitor (from Dell, but that's who we work with) and other
good things (CDRW/DVD, Zip, etc).

While I was at work, I had some network guys come into my apartment to
connect me to our building's T1 line.  We have a dedicated T1 and about 30
users.  It gives me up to 1.5 Mbps *both* ways (none of that lame @home
restriction on upload bandwidth) for $45/mo.  I'm using it now and it is
faster for me than @home was in Columbia.  In Columbia I lived 3/4 mile
from my office, but I was doing 19 hops from home to office with pings
inconsistent but at around 50-60 ms.  Here I'm 17 hops from my machine in
Columbia with pings at 45 ms.  I've moved 500 miles farther away
physically, but it seems like I'm closer networkwise.  VNC is working like
a charm.

They say it gets cold here, but I'm just going to stay inside all the time
anyway!  I do have underground parking in my apt building and covered
parking at work.  When it rains, I don't need an umbrella because I never
have to step outside.  And I only live 3/4 mile down the street from my
office (pretty lazy, eh?).

So I'm happy here.  ;-)

Mike

P.S.  I would say I miss you all, but I really only know most of you by
e-mail and that hasn't changed -- I'm reading as much of your e-mail now
as before.

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