Skip to main content

Supercomputers Directions in Technology and Applications (1989) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:

8. Achieving a Pioneering Outlook with Supercomputing
Pages 90-98

The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.


From page 90...
... EXTENDING THE RANGE OF APPLICATIONS lathe main reason we bought a Cray was to make applications possible that were previously impossible because of the time they took to run. We had circuit simulations, for example, that would have run for 2 months, and it was easier to actually build the circuit and try it out than to wait the 2 months to run the simulation on, say, a VAX.
Read the entire page →
From page 91...
... On the Macintoshes we have software, for example, NCSA-TELNET, as well as a product from Pacer software that allows us to do terminal emulation, file transfer, and so on, by using convenient menus. We are able to produce not only text but also graphic displays on the Macintosh to access the power of the supercomputer.
Read the entire page →
From page 92...
... mold flow similar to that discussed by Cliff Perry. For thermal analysis we have used a package called ANSYS, which is a finite element program displaying the output graphically on a Macintosh II.
Read the entire page →
From page 93...
... Another application, called NEKTONics, is a finite element program that is used for structural analysis related to the cooling problem. A small object represents the edge of a cooling vent.
Read the entire page →
From page 94...
... The benefits of using the supercomputer for product design are increased savings of time and money hundreds of thousands of dollarsmade possible by fewer tooling runs plus the much greater advantage of getting products to market faster. We can get products to market months faster because we know that the likelihood that the first mold is going to work is much higher.
Read the entire page →
From page 95...
... ADDING SUPERCOMPUTING CAPABILITY Visualization, as everyone participating in this symposium has explained, is an absolutely key capability. Having a fast network is very, very important, and we continue to upgrade the speed of our network so that people can get higher bandwidth between the user interface and the supercomputer.
Read the entire page →
From page 96...
... Clifford Perry: I don't have too many keys to failure, but one key to success is involving the users from the very beginning in participative planning. We actually sent out letters to literally hundreds of the heavy users of our traditional high-end mainframe computing facility, asking them to participate in an idealized design of a supercomputing facility and to think about what the attributes of that particular center should be.
Read the entire page →
From page 97...
... Lawrence Tesler: At Apple as at Abbott, all the shared computer resources that are used by more than one department are essentially free. On our financial reports from the Apple Product Division, we break out the entire budget for this computer operation.
Read the entire page →

Key Terms

  • mold flow
  • product design
  • disk head
  • neural net
  • human ear

  • weld lines
  • computer resources
  • cliff perry
  • supercomputing facility
  • finite element

  • idealized design
  • structural analysis
  • head design
  • element program
  • supercomputer center

  • thermal analysis
  • multiple parameters
  • supercomputer onsite
  • satisfactory results
  • main impact

  • customer support
  • computer board
  • abbott laboratories
  • adding supercomputing
  • output graphically

  • recording head
  • expense goes
  • disk space
  • telephoning customer
  • market faster


    • This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
    More information on Chapter Skim is available.