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PlayStation foils US Air Force
Flightglobal/DEW line ^ | 5/12/2010 | Stephen Trimble

Posted on 05/12/2010 9:22:10 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld

When US Air Force researchers last year created the mother-of-all-processors using Sony PlayStation-3 game consoles, it seemed like a stroke of cost-saving genius.To deliver a 53-TerraFLOP processing cluster, the Air Force Research Laboratory in Rome, N.Y., hoovered up 1,700 PlayStation-3 game consoles, then harnessed the power of their combined processors to evaluate new breakthroughs in technology for synthetic aperture radar, high definition video and something called "neuromorphic computing".

At the time, the researchers noted that two PlayStation-3 consoles provide 150 GigaFLOPs of processing power for $600, but a single 3.2GHz cell processor delivers 200 GFLOPs for $8,000. Why spend the extra cash when PlayStations come so cheap? (Besides, each of the 1,700 Sony processors comes with a controller and accessory package -- did someone say, 'EBay'?)

But Sony just ruined everything.

It turns out the AFRL's PlayStation-powered processing cluster is based on the Linux operating system. Well, Sony just released a new PS-3 update that removes the ability of the device to support other operating systems.

Gaming blog ARS Technica notes the AFRL's existing processing cluster still works, but the Linux-based devices can no longer be repaired or serviced if they break.

Says ARS Technica: "Such are the dangers of relying on consumer-grade hardware sold with a very different set of concerns from those that bedevil the scientists, especially in an era where firmware updates routinely alter functionality."

(Excerpt) Read more at flightglobal.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: afrl; computers; cpu; linux; operatingsystem; playstation; sony; supercomputer; usaf

1 posted on 05/12/2010 9:22:10 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
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To: sonofstrangelove

It surprises me that the AF can’t either get access to the code for the firmware, or simply engineer their own from the ground up, so they can load whatever they want. I have to assume that, given access to the architecture, the AF couldn’t eliminate parts of the code that control areas of the game system that are unnecessary, freeing up resources for number crunching.


2 posted on 05/12/2010 9:44:47 PM PDT by Little Pig (Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici.)
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To: sonofstrangelove

This is very misleading. I have a lot of personal experience with both the PS3 as a gaming device (one of my unwinding aids) and as a computing platform. I still have a maintained PS3 running Linux.

What the firmware update did (v3.21) was remove support for the “Other OS” option within the PS3’s XMB, which allows you to use, logically, another operating system. It did not affect those units already running Linux. In fact, every single of Sony’s updates have been to affect the functionality of the PS3’s functionality as a gaming console, which is totally independent of its use as a computing platform. I should know because I don’t even have a clue what PS3 firmware I’m running on the one that runs Linux. There’s no need to really ever go back into the PS3 operating system.

Other articles have correctly pointed out that the only real problem would come if the system needed to be serviced or replaced for some reason as a new unit would come with a version of the firmware that does not allow Linux. It’s also worth noting that Sony is being sued for this decision, which they claim was based on security.


3 posted on 05/12/2010 9:46:16 PM PDT by flintsilver7 (Honest reporting hasn't caught on in the United States.)
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To: flintsilver7

Probably more bc they sell the system at a loss.


4 posted on 05/12/2010 9:58:40 PM PDT by downwdims (It does not take a majority to prevail... but rather an irate, tireless minority)
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To: flintsilver7

There must be more to this story. Why would sony change the firmware so new systems will not operate in this manner?


5 posted on 05/12/2010 10:04:11 PM PDT by Steve Van Doorn (*in my best Eric cartman voice* 'I love you guys')
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To: sonofstrangelove
If I were a Sony exec, I'd be keeping a sharp eye out for Predator drones circling company headquarters.

It seems to me that the USAF has the capability to make them an offer they really can't refuse. :=)

6 posted on 05/12/2010 10:04:32 PM PDT by Bob
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To: flintsilver7

If this really came to a point where the military was “stuck” (which I doubt), I’m sure that Sony would provide a special version of firmware for them, under an NDA. I’d hate to venture a guess as to the dollars of Sony products the military buys. Letting such a special version “out in the wild” wouldn’t be much of a concern, because as I recall, software piracy in the military might not just get someone fired, it might put them in Leavenworth. Still, Sony wasn’t terribly enthused about non-gaming usage of the product because they were and are probably selling them at a small loss and then making it up in game licensing fees.


7 posted on 05/12/2010 10:21:24 PM PDT by The Antiyuppie ("When small men cast long shadows, then it is very late in the day.")
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To: sonofstrangelove
Well, Sony just released a new PS-3 update that removes the ability of the device to support other operating systems.

Uhhm, So don't install the update? Problem solved?

8 posted on 05/12/2010 11:15:52 PM PDT by apillar
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To: apillar

AS I understand it;the new Sony units won’t do linux so replacing failed older style PS3 is the problem.Nor can you or the AF build a new cluster.


9 posted on 05/13/2010 2:00:03 AM PDT by hoosierham (Waddaya mean Freedom isn't free ?;will you take a credit card?)
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To: Steve Van Doorn

Their claim was security. I have no idea how true that is, but personally it seems like a weak excuse.


10 posted on 05/14/2010 6:15:52 AM PDT by flintsilver7 (Honest reporting hasn't caught on in the United States.)
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To: The Antiyuppie

I agree that if they really had a need for an earlier version of the firmware, Sony would provide one for them.


11 posted on 05/14/2010 6:16:54 AM PDT by flintsilver7 (Honest reporting hasn't caught on in the United States.)
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To: flintsilver7

I agree it is weak. They should at least have two options one for the general public and one for those that want to use it this way.


12 posted on 05/14/2010 9:19:19 AM PDT by Steve Van Doorn (*in my best Eric cartman voice* 'I love you guys')
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