On 29/10/2014 01:55, Dave Cornwell wrote:
Brian Lawrence wrote:
On 28/10/2014 15:01, Dawlish wrote:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-29789208

Should increase forecast accuracy.

Shouldn't that be Cray to build supercomputer, or more correctly
to install it?

I can't help wondering why they didn't install a Cray rather than
an IBM six years ago. A cheaper option perhaps.

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Indeed - I don't think the Met Office are going to compete with the
likes of IBM in building computers. I wonder really if that amount of
money is getting into the realms of diminishing returns. I didn't think
it was long ago I read about a new super computer. Is this another one
or just the other one being delayed?
Dave

Weather (and for that matter universe) simulation is always on bleeding
edge kit or very close to the limits. It goes with the territory.

There are a class of problems beyond our present computational ability
typically where the program runtime exceeds about 3 years where the
fastest route to a computational solution is work on something else for
two years and allow Moores law to do its stuff on the hardware.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moore%27s_law

This regime may change shortly it is getting harder and harder to boost
CPU performance and the drive for ever faster domestic PCs has largely
gone. They are now fast enough for all practical purposes.

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Regards,
Martin Brown