Sony's introduction of the PS2 Linux Kit caught the attention of researchers at NCSA.

[nixcraft@mastodon.social]

Sony's introduction of the PS2 Linux Kit caught the attention of researchers at NCSA. They combined 70 PS2 consoles in 2003 to form a supercomputer, highlighting its ability to perform complex scientific calculations.

credit: https://www.reddit.com/r/ObsoleteSony/comments/1ije8cz/sonys_introduction_of_the_ps2_linux_kit_caught/

#linux #opensource

[paradroyd@mastodon.sdf.org]

@nixCraft I remember that some government agency wanted to put export restrictions on the PS2 early-on because of it's potential for use in missile guidance systems.

[tehstu@hachyderm.io]

@nixCraft Anyone got a link to a good write-up? Although I had a PS2, I never believed any of this Emotion Engine super computer nonsense. Just felt like marketing fluff to nail the coffin lid shut on the Dreamcast.

[radhitya@navi.lain.day]

@nixCraft What they do with those cluster? I mean what 'complex scientific calculations'..

[bhhaskin@social.bitsofsimplicity.com]

@nixCraft interesting. I knew they did that with the ps3, but wasn't aware of the PS2 being used also.

[lando@infosec.town]

@nixCraft In before someone “uhm Aksually it was the air force and they were PS3s” despite the picture clearly being not an airbase and clearly being PS2s and we’re talking about a completely different cluster here

[ferricoxide@blahaj.zone]

@nixCraft@mastodon.social

The days of Beowulf.

[crimsonfall@mas.to]

@nixCraft reminds me of those ps3 clusters from back in the day.

mmmmmm those cell processors

[utf_7@mastodon.social]

@radhitya @nixCraft maybe BOINC

[edthedev@infosec.exchange]

@nixCraft as a staff member shortly after this was built, a hilarious side-effect of this awesome build was that supposedly a bunch of the PS2s came with a branded keyboard and mouse, which of course went straight to University surplus.

So we would see some Playstation branded mouse and keyboard pairs around offices. And the rumor was you could go get an armload more from surplus if you needed them for a lab setup.

[edthedev@infosec.exchange]

@nixCraft @tehstu here's NCSA's own article about the PS2 Beowulf cluster.

Playing the Supercomputer Game | NCSA | National Center for Supercomputing Applications | Office of the Vice Chancellor of Research and Innovation | Illinois

(www.ncsa.illinois.edu)

#supercomputer

[edthedev@infosec.exchange]

@nixCraft @radhitya what I saw from it was mostly write-ups about what was learned while building it.

But the NCSA article says it supported MPI, so I'm sure it got used for "small" batches of supercomputer research code, as well.

[soviut@hachyderm.io]

@nixCraft "do you think I should tuck in my t-shirt for the photo?"

[danish_akhtar7@mastodon.social]

@nixCraft I still have a PS2. Sometimes I also play games on it.

[boplaid@mas.to]

@paradroyd @nixCraft I wonder what they did with the PS3

[finitebaffle@mas.to]

@nixCraft also wasn’t the original incarnation of “The Volume” (the amazing screen thing they film actors standing in front of showing backgrounds on eg The Mandalorian) a bunch of networked PS4s, or did I dream it?

[tulainas@mas.to]

@nixCraft that should have been the front of a great lan party.

[edthedev@infosec.exchange]

@nixCraft does anyone have a credit for who is in this picture? I can't shake the feeling that I should recognize him, but my memory for names has never been good.