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Mil-Embedded.com: Raytheon develops world's first polymorphic computer
Raytheon developed a multi-use "polymorphic" computer whose architecture can change on the fly, reducing the number of different processors for computing systems.
"Typically, a chip is optimally designed either for front-end signal processing or back-end control and data processing," explained Nick Uros, vice president for the Advanced Concepts and Technology group of Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems. "The MONARCH micro-architecture is unique in its ability to reconfigure itself to optimize processing on the fly. MONARCH provides exceptional compute capacity and highly flexible data bandwidth capability with beyond state-of-the-art power efficiency, and it's fully programmable."
Of course it'll be a few years (or months) until polymorphic chips find their way into the server room but those will be interesting times until the "dual use" becomes apparent in optimizing server functions and routing. It continually seems that the only place where human beings can't find new technologies to reduce delay is the speed of light.
MONARCH's polymorphic capability and super efficiency enable the development of DoD systems that need very small size, low power, and in some cases radiation tolerance for such purposes as global positioning systems, airborne and space radar and video processing systems.
Or routers.
Slashdot Commentary on "Dungeons And Dragons and IT"
It's worth it just for the in-jokes of the D&D/IT crowd.
The problem is usually that most companies don't hire any more D&D players than it takes to just barely put fires out. You wouldn't be putting out fires all the time if your employer would hire more wizards, although wizardry doesn't come cheap.
You can get four or five wizards for the price of one, but the catch is, the wizards come with the curse that Rutger Hauer and his girlfriend Michelle Pfeiffer had in that movie Ladyhawke. He was a wolf at night and his girlfriend Michelle Pfeiffer turned into a hawk during the day. A simple email conversation would have taken them days and days!
Just like working with overseas teams. Except neither of us look like Michelle Pfeiffer OR Rutger Hauer.
And this one.
It's not a werewolf, it a guy with a "unix beard(tm)".
The way to check is that you say "say, what's your opinion on packaging systems?" If they growl and try rip your throat out, use the silver bullets. If they start to tell their grand view of how packaging should work, use regular ammo.
If ever a werewolf were to evolve that has a fur pattern that looks the same as a short sleeved shirt with pocket protector, the human race is doomed.
While we're on the topic of IT humor,
This is a series of Novell-backed parodies of the Mac vs. PC ads which have an attractive woman playing the part of Sus(i)e Linux. And I think Novell is hitting that target market. I personally have a PC which dual boots Windows and Linux, and just bought a Mac Mini yesterday (for an article I'm working on) and let me tell you, I'd trade them all for a girlfriend.
