H P C w i r e The Text-On-Demand News Magazine for High-Performance Computing *** July 29 1994: Vol. 3, No. 29 Circulation: 16,324 *** This Week's Table of Contents Represents 186 Pages of Text -------------------- * -------------------- 771) Commercial Applications of Parallel Processing Sys. Conference Update This October conference in Texas will feature two widely recognized analysts in high performance computing -- Debra Goldfarb and Gary Smaby. Institutions presenting are Booz-Allen & Hamilton, Citibank, Conrail, Cray Research, Epsilon, IBM, Intel, Lehman Brothers and Prudential Securities. ______________________________ IN THIS ISSUE ______________________________ | | | 1474) COMMENTARY: SGI's Entertainment Spinoff Rubs Magic Lamp for $$$ | | 4401) IN THE NEWS: Cray Computer Seeking Minority Equity Partnership | | 1475) COMMENTARY: U.S.-Japan Trade Dispute: Fair & Open or Same Old Thing?| |___________________________________________________________________________| For a free 6-week trial subscription, email: trial@hpcwire.ans.net Subscription Information: sub@hpcwire.ans.net IN THE NEWS ================================================================= LINES 4401) CRAY COMPUTER SEEKING MINORITY EQUITY PARTNERSHIP....................20 By Carol Cramer, Managing Editor The company is actively pursuing strategic relationships to involve minority equity ownership in Cray by another company. It is considering a technology-related strategic alliance as a partnership possibility. 4402) ANNOUNCING RELEASE 3.0 -- THE GENESIS BENCHMARK SUITE................86 By Ian Glendinning, Contributing Writer University of Southampton HPC Centre's GENESIS distributed memory benchmark suite developed to fill need for evaluating performance of MIMD systems on scientific and engineering applications. 4403) UK OILFIELD CONTRACTOR PURCHASES 3RD SYSTEM FROM THINKING MACHINES...38 By Dianna Husum, Associate Editor Geco-Prakla has purchased a CM-5 MPP computer system to support development of software for performing computer analyses and imaging of complex geological areas using 3-D seismic data. 4404) PARSYTEC'S PowerTRAM: CASCADABLE INTO POWERFUL PARALLEL SYSTEM.......33 By Kari Walker, Staff Writer PowerTRAM is completely software and plug compatible with Inmos TRAM standard, can be placed on all TRAM motherboards, and used in mixed networks with other TRAMs meeting the TRAM standard. ANNOUNCEMENTS RECEIVED THIS WEEK ============================================ 4405) Major UK Utility Moves to Alpha AXP Platform.......................45 4406) IBM Forms New Global Network Unit -- A Business Internet...........44 4407) Daimler Benz Division Upgrades to CRAY C94.........................31 4408) AT&T Achieves Record Performance for UNIX Clustered Systems........63 4409) UK Aerospace Corp. Orders Infinity R/T Alpha AXP...................32 4410) Cray Research Has 25 Orders for "Mini" Supercomputers in Q2........60 4411) SGI Adds Supercomputing-Class Technology to Onyx Line..............94 4412) Price on DEC 3000 Model 600 AXP Dropped/Intros AdvantageCluster....23 4413) Thinking Machines Names Clifford Lasser DB Development Manager.....39 4414) DEC Reaffirms Chipmaker Role w/New Alpha AXP Sales Structure.......17 4415) NEC to Move ATM Switch Production to U.S...........................15 4416) PACIFIC RIM ROUNDUP: AT&T Global Japan, Fujitsu, IBM-Japan.........82 FINANCIAL WATCH 4417) 2nd QUARTER REPORTS FOR: Amdahl, Cisco, Convex, Cray Computer, Cray Research, Data General, DEC, Silicon Graphics, Sun Microsystems....11 4427) IBM Ups Cost-Cutting Plan by $1 Billion............................50 4428) 10 Most Active NASDAQ HPC Stocks...................................28 CONTRACTS/VENTURES 4429) NEC in Pact for Video-On-Demand Pilot in Australia.................56 4430) Cisco/Japanese Firms Form Multimedia Venture.......................20 4431) Slovnaft Cuts $11 Million Deal with Oracle.........................26 SUPERHIGHWAY REPORT 4432) Computer Virus Hacker Caught Say British Police....................25 4433) Government to Work with Computer Industry for New Code System......39 4434) Hackers Discovered Snooping in Defense Computers...................34 VISUALIZATION VENUE 4435) Thinking Machines Scientist Introduces Virtual Creatures...........57 ___________________________ INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT ___________________________ | | | 785) nCUBE Partners With Amdahl Corp, Oracle and Information Builders Inc.| | 743) ANS CO+RE Announces Lowest-Cost Nationwide Internet Access | | 739) 800 FLY CORP Announces Corporate Travel Savings Via Email | | 790) HPCwire's Electronic Publishing Software Provides TEXT-ON-DEMAND | |___________________________________________________________________________| QUOTE OF THE WEEK =========================================================== 4421) "I remain optimistic about being able to demonstrate a four-processor, 256 megaword CRAY-4 system by year-end." -- Seymour R. Cray, Chairman and CEO, Cray Computer Corporation ANALYSIS & FEATURES ========================================================= 1474) SGI'S ENTERTAINMENT SPINOFF RUBS MAGIC LAMP FOR $$$..................97 Commentary by Norris Parker Smith, Editor at Large Visual entertainment, source of $200 million in revenue last year, is becoming a key aspect of Silicon Graphics' core business. The new entertainment-oriented subsidiary, Silicon Studio, was formed as SGI posted record figures for sales ($1.5 billion) and net revenue. 1475) U.S.-JAPAN TRADE DISPUTE: FAIR & OPEN OR SAME OLD THING?............112 Commentary by Willie Schatz, Contributing Editor The U.S. government won some public sector MPP procurements in the last round of fiscal year in Japan, perhaps because Japanese manufacturers have little to offer in the MPP market. The acid test will come in the government's next 11 HPC procurements, a few of which are scheduled to be awarded by July 31. 1476) IBM'S SP2 POWERS SIGGRAPH VIRTUAL REALITY DISPLAY....................83 News Analysis by Norris Parker Smith, Editor at Large IBM's SP2 broadens its scope at SIGGRAPH powering a virtual reality demo of molecular dynamics & machine tool applications. Multiprocessor capacity is needed to do virtual reality really well, especially in real time, but how many users can afford it? ___________________________ HPCwire INFORMATION __________________________ | | | 601) Subscription Information for HPCwire.............................57 | | 602) Contribute Your News, Tips and Information to HPCwire............24 | | 603) How to Get On/Off Distribution List..............................18 | | 608) Letters to Editor................................................13 | | 670) Masthead/Email Contacts/Submission Guidelines....................58 | | 950) A Complete Index of HPCwire Back Issues..........................48 | |__________________________________________________________________________| JOB BANK ==================================================================== 667) Employment Opportunities............................................147 Ads from: Rechenzentrum Garching der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Cray Research, HPCwire, Rensselaer, Rice U., SDSC and U. de Sherbrooke 604) NEED HELP? Place your next job ad in cyberspace!.....................58 OTHER DEPARTMENTS =========================================================== CONFERENCES 2888) Calendar of Upcoming HPC Events (3 New Listings)...................92 SCIENCE & HUMAN INTEREST 3095) Crime Fighting Takes to Phone Lines with Reverse 911...............50 3096) Ants Give Insight for Improving Computers..........................42 3097) Military Camouflage Reversed Will Help Drivers Avoid Crashes.......37 _____________________H P C w i r e S P O N S O R S______________________ | Product specifications and company information in this section are | | available to both subscribers and non-subscribers. | | | |*905) Maximum Strategy 902) IBM Corp. 904)*Intel SSD | | 912) Avalon Computer 906) nCUBE 907) Digital Equipment | |*916) Maspar Computer 909) Fujitsu America 915) Genias Software | | Silicon Graphics 928)*Kendall Square Res. 921) Cray Research Inc.| | Ampex HNSX | |_________________ *Updated information within last 30 days________________| *** LAST ISSUE'S MOST REQUESTED ITEMS FROM HPCwire *** 667) JOB BANK..........................................................126 4374) DEC's New SMP Servers: 4 to 16 Nodes from $200K Up................100 4377) MO' WEB WATCH......................................................97 1471) Microsoft Concedes But Wins Monopoly Game from Feds...............169 ***************************************************************************** Copyright 1994 HPCwire. 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