From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: by befuddled.reisers.ca (Postfix, from userid 65534) id 64A0E1EF69C; Mon, 30 Jun 2014 11:07:48 -0400 (EDT) Received: from mta1.math.wisc.edu (mta1.math.wisc.edu [144.92.166.23]) by befuddled.reisers.ca (Postfix) with ESMTP id DF3561EF69A for ; Mon, 30 Jun 2014 11:07:46 -0400 (EDT) Received: from localhost (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by mta1.math.wisc.edu (Postfix) with ESMTP id 09854388851 for ; Mon, 30 Jun 2014 10:07:46 -0500 (CDT) Received: from mta1.math.wisc.edu ([127.0.0.1]) by localhost (mta1.math.wisc.edu [127.0.0.1]) (amavisd-new, port 10024) with ESMTP id 5jIp2MI0nJWQ for ; Mon, 30 Jun 2014 10:07:45 -0500 (CDT) Received: from mta1.math.wisc.edu (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by mta1.math.wisc.edu (Postfix) with ESMTP id EE852388777 for ; Mon, 30 Jun 2014 10:07:44 -0500 (CDT) X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.3.2 (2011-06-06) on mta1.math.wisc.edu X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-99.0 required=6.5 tests=ALL_TRUSTED,BAYES_50, USER_IN_WHITELIST autolearn=disabled version=3.3.2 Received: from mailhost.math.wisc.edu (erdos.math.wisc.edu [144.92.166.25]) by mta1.math.wisc.edu (Postfix) with ESMTP for ; Mon, 30 Jun 2014 10:07:44 -0500 (CDT) Received: from [144.92.166.19] (vv507j.math.wisc.edu [144.92.166.19]) (using TLSv1 with cipher ECDHE-RSA-AES128-SHA (128/128 bits)) (No client certificate requested) by mailhost.math.wisc.edu (Postfix) with ESMTPSA id EBFE44288ED for ; Mon, 30 Jun 2014 10:07:44 -0500 (CDT) Message-ID: <53B17D3B.8010006@math.wisc.edu> Date: Mon, 30 Jun 2014 10:07:39 -0500 From: "John G. Heim" Organization: University of Wisconsin-Madison User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux x86_64; rv:24.0) Gecko/20100101 Thunderbird/24.6.0 MIME-Version: 1.0 To: "Speakup is a screen review system for Linux." Subject: small super computer (was: slackware) References: <53AF79A2.5030502@math.wisc.edu> <20140629023754.GA4657@localhost.localdomain> <53B028D2.5030601@math.wisc.edu> <20140629165747.GA3481@localhost.localdomain> In-Reply-To: <20140629165747.GA3481@localhost.localdomain> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Bogosity: Ham, tests=bogofilter, spamicity=0.000000, version=1.2.4 X-BeenThere: speakup@linux-speakup.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.16 Precedence: list Reply-To: "Speakup is a screen review system for Linux." List-Id: "Speakup is a screen review system for Linux." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 30 Jun 2014 15:07:48 -0000 It's funny you should bring this up because we are planning to send two machines with 16 core AMD processors to the UW surplus store very soon. You could probably pick one of them up for practically nothing. The problem is that these are rack mount machines. They are about a meter deep by about half a meter wide. Some people describe them as pizza boxes but they wouldn't describe these machines this way. These 16 core machines are 4 units high. A "unit" is about 4 centemeters. So they're about 16 cm high. Our 32 core machines are just 1 unit high. Anyway, the point is that nobody is going to want one of these rack mounted machines, especially one that has a 16 core AMD processor. What do yu need a small super computer for? Depending on what you are going to do with it, you could pick up some old clunker, like the machines I describe above, for next to nothing. On the other hand, it's not good for much either. And it would be a pita to have a rack mounted machine in your home. Coincidentally, I put together specs for a hex-core AMD machine for the International Association of Visually Impaired Technologists. I got a donated case but I picked out the 6-core processor, a Gigait brand motherboard, 16Gb of ram, and a 2Tb disk for a total of $410 on newegg.com. But I had a budgetary restriction of $415. If I had just a little more money, like $600, I think i'd go with a oct-core I7. and an Asus mobo. You can probably put together a dual oct-core machine with 32 Gb of ram for under a thousand. That would give you 16 cores. What are you doing that 16 coes isn't enough? On 06/29/14 11:57, Doug Smith wrote: > > > Ok, that is what I was wondering about. I will try to eventually save up some money and get one of these when I can start working again. > > I have a few questions about these machines, though, are they air or liquid cooled? How much room do they take up? Are they any harder to maintain > hardware wise than any other machine? I guess they do have sound cards on them. What Linux distribution runs best on one of these? and do they have > any problems with any kind of secure boot or whatever the members of these lists have had problems with? > > Also, if they are wanting to upgrade and will be getting rid of one of those, how much would it cost to just have them ship it over here? > > > > Thanks. > > > > -- --- John G. Heim, 608-263-4189, jheim@math.wisc.edu