[Gllug] Fastest computer in the world - runs Linux

[Andrew Back]

On 20 June 2011 13:03, John Hearns <hearnsj at googlemail.com> wrote:
> On 20 June 2011 12:26,  <salsaman at xs4all.nl> wrote:
>>
>> AFAIK, the fastest computer in the world has *always* been a linux machine.

Strange comment considering Linux just celebrated its 20th anniversary
and the field of computing predates this by some measure.

> That's what I meant by 'as usual'.
>
> Actually, the fastest in the top500 will not always have been a Linux
> machine - if you go to the site
> you can generate lists as far back as 1993 - when the stats were:
> Unix  94%
> BSD Based 4.6%
> N/A 1.8%
>
> Manufacturers listed then were Cray, Thinking Machines, Meiko (for any
> Bristolians on the list)

Not a Bristolian, but I do own two nodes from a Meiko CS/1. IIRC, one
has 16 Transputers in it, and the other a smaller number but some
i960s and a Sparcstation 1+ FEP as well. I occasionally try to track
down Meiko software for them... Even asked David May—architect of the
Transputer and author of Occam—but not luck. Sad to think that fairly
significant technology from not that long ago may now be lost forever.

Cheers,

Andrew
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