Giant computer virtually conquers space and time

Article Abstract:

The world's fastest supercomputer, now installed at Sandia National Laboratories, is enabling scientists to study complex events, such as explosions or a comet crashing into the Earth, in almost unprecedented detail. Janus, a teraflop machine, is the first computer to perform one trillion mathematical operations a second. Scientists now can use this advance to study complex events in four dimensions. Teraflop machines require a few hours of intense calculation to follow 100 million atoms for up to one microsecond, or a millionth of a second. This compares to 1970, when supercomputers could simulate and follow around 1,000 atoms for approximately a nanosecond, or a billionth of a second. The Intel-designed, $55 million Janus contains 9,072 Pentium Pro processors in 84 tall cabinets at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, NM. The Federal Department of Energy's Accelerated Strategic Computing Initiative ordered Janus for nuclear weapons testing research. Scientists expect to exceed Janus's operations a thousandfold by 2010.

Digital Computers, Super, Design and construction, Technology overview, Supercomputers, Supercomputer

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Finding a big gadget to use in small office

Article Abstract:

Bitwise Designs' DocSTAR document storage and retrieval system offers scanning, faxing and printing on a 100MHz Pentium machine in a useful and comprehensive, albeit expensive, office solution. The PC comes loaded with Microsoft's Windows 3.11 or Windows 95, and hardware includes 16MB of memory, a 20MB-capacity WORM drive as well as a laser printer, 14.4-Kbps fax modem and scanner contained in a single 8-in by 16-in box. The included OCR software is outstanding and creates a real-text version of documents, not just a picture of the text. Users may edit or export the real-text document, or they may search it using words. Several word or word combinations can be employed in searches; even words that are slightly misspelled may be usable. Users rent the system from Bitwise, which provides installation set up and a two-hour introduction; it costs $195 monthly with maintenance and toner included, and the basic rate entitles users to 1,000 'clicks.' One click equals one print or three scans.

Computer Systems, Evaluation, Computers, Product/Service Evaluation, Digital computers, Hardware single product review, Special-purpose computer system, Special purpose computers, BitWise Designs Inc., BTWS, Bitwise Designs DocSTAR (Special-purpose computer system)

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Versatile system aims to teach cooking in the kitchen

Article Abstract:

Master International's Kitchen Coach is a compact system designed to teach people to cook. The system consists of a nine-inch color television set and a built-in player for video compact disks (VCD). Kitchen Coach's dimensions of 12 inches tall, 11 inches deep and 10 1/2 inches wide allows users to place it in different parts of the kitchen. Standalone options include a television with an antenna and a 128 cable-station capacity, as well as a high-quality stereo CD and VCD player. Coach Master International also has prepared 60- to 70-minute cooking VCDs, the first of their kind in the US. VCDs are popular in Europe and Asia, but they have not found a strong US market. The Kitchen Coach machine costs $350, down recently from $379, and additional VCDs cost $19.95 apiece. The Sur la Table catalog offers the basic unit and six basic VCDs, in addition to the printer, for $550.

Education Computer Systems, Cooking, Equipment and supplies, Cookery, Technology in education, Company technology development, Coach Master International Corp.

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