Re: Nadanet

[mjmahon@aol.com (Michael J. Mahon)]

Charles replied:

>In article <20040707002920.05740.00000816@mb-m27.aol.com>, 
>mjmahon@aol.com says...
>
><snip>
>> >> Funny you should ask...  ;-)
>> >> 
>> >> I've been devoting some spare time to it, and how have it working
>> >> as far as I can tell (tests and applications are next).
>> >> 
>> >> I currently have three processor linked, and in the nexe couple of
>> >> days I will have all eight Apple //e boards in the "AppleCrate".
>> >> 
>> >> They boot over the network from the "master" machine, which is
>> >> fully configured, while the AppleCrate boards are bare, with no
>> >> I/O other than the network (and optional video monitors).
>> >> 
>
><snip>
> 
>> The possibility of creating a useful network using only wire and
>> software was esthetically appealing.
>> 
>> It was an interesting challenge to design an Ethernet-like
>> network from the ground up.  The exercise provided an
>> experimental vehicle to illuminate the various issues and
>
>That's very cool.  Do you see some practical application of any kind?

Other than experimentation with parallel computing (at a speed
that you can almost follow with your eyes ;-), I can't imagine
any application that would not be better done with some other
platform.

>Question: Is this true "parallel computing"?  Is there a way to take 
>advantage of it? I, being a USER type, am intrigued.

Parallel computing involves some interesting problems and
ways of thinking.  Many of the same issues arise whether
you are networking supercomputers or Apple II's--only the
exponents change.  ;-)

>I'm truly not trying to be a smarta**, I'm really curious as to what 
>benefit there is for all the time and effort poured into the project.  
>If just the exploration, then it's just a curiosity and limited in 
>application.  If there was an idea to move toward some goal that 
>generated this project as an intermediate step, then, what WAS that 
>idea?  Would others be interested?  Could others benefit?
>
>Just exactly what makes you tick?  :)

Ha!  I'm not sure how to answer!  ;-)

I'm a physicist by training, an computer scientist by experience,
and a computer architect by profession--and an Apple II hobbyist
by desire.  So this project seemed like an interesting way to get
all my gears engaged at almost the same time.  ;-)

And, of course, there is the challenge of design, implementation,
and discovery.

There are a lot of Apple II's sitting around, many of them in the
hands of folks who know how to make them dance.  Perhaps
this project will serve as a springboard for others.

Robotics is one area where some true parallelism could come
in handy, but, of course, carting around a dozen or so //e boards
is not the most efficient way to do almost anything.  ;-)

I have a non-mobile robotic application that may be a fun
follow-on:  using several //e boards to control a couple of
six degree-of-freedom robotic arms.  We'll see...

-michael

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