Roadrunner beats Jaguar in TOP500 supercomputer rankings, cartoon antics strangely absent

While titles like "world's fastest" and "world's largest" are fleeting at best, it's rare that we see such things taken down this quickly. Last week Cray delivered a big dish of braggadocio, talking up its 1.64 petaflop XT Jaguar supercomputer as the fastest (non-classified) machine in the world. Now, like some rocket skate-wearing coyote who's run out of thrust, it's been stymied by IBM's Roadrunner, deployed at Los Alamos. TOP500 is the authority on these matters and that list's latest rankings place Roadrunner in first place with a speed of 1.105 petaflops; Cray's Jag comes in second with a paltry 1.059. What about that 1.64 figure from last week? That was the hypothetical limit, and while it did deliver real-world performance of 1.3 petaflops for the folks at Oak Ridge, TOP500 relies on the Linpack benchmark for its ratings and apparently the Jag just couldn't deliver the goods there. Perhaps, Cray, it's time to make another call to ACME -- or AMD as it were.

[BratPAQ @ Nov 17th 2008 9:59AM]

you sure its XT Jaguar? not XT Cayote? Cayote always come 2nd to roadrunner.

[bob sakamano @ Nov 17th 2008 10:06AM]

coyote*

[absinthe party @ Nov 17th 2008 10:07AM]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coyote

[Jinto @ Nov 17th 2008 10:02AM]

It should be able to play Crisis well .

[bob sakamano @ Nov 17th 2008 10:07AM]

crysis*

[y3k.nik @ Nov 17th 2008 10:09AM]

All hail bob sakamano, the ultymate spelling nazi...

[y3k.nik @ Nov 17th 2008 10:09AM]

*ultimate

[bob sakamano @ Nov 17th 2008 10:12AM]

I'm an accountant... spell checking comments is the highlight of my day!

[APStorm @ Nov 17th 2008 10:17AM]

Not that Crysis really requires a supercomputer- Most modern high-end chips are enough CPU for it. It's the GPU power demands at maximum that really take the cake (which, by the way, is a lie). And Supercomputers don't really use GPUs.

[y3k.nik @ Nov 17th 2008 10:52AM]

@bob sakamano
In that case, I am sorry my good sir. Please except spelling mistakes as humble apolgies for being harsh and in hopes of makign your day :)

[Jinto @ Nov 17th 2008 11:11AM]

I was killed by my own spell checking habits!

On a side note, it would be neat to see how many virtual machines it could hold that are playing Crysis. Sort of like old time terminals.

[ITRanger @ Nov 17th 2008 10:08AM]

Somehow I know I need all that power in my Netbook to play Solitaire with, but I just don't know why ;-)!

Yet another toilet contest ...

[absinthe party @ Nov 17th 2008 10:11AM]

What was the first toilet test?

[absinthe party @ Nov 17th 2008 10:12AM]

*contest

[ProfessorKaos @ Nov 17th 2008 10:12AM]

I dont get this

"While titles like "world's fastest" and "world's largest" are fleeting at best, it's rare that we see such things taken down this quickly. Last week Cray delivered a big dish of braggadocio, talking up its 1.64 petaflop XT Jaguar supercomputer as the fastest (non-classified) machine in the world. Now, like some rocket skate-wearing coyote who's run out of thrust, it's been stymied by IBM's Roadrunner, deployed at Los Alamos. TOP500 is the authority on these matters and that list's latest rankings place Roadrunner in first place with a speed of 1.105 petaflops"

Isn't 1.105 less than 1.64? Then Jaguar should be the winner. Am I missing something?

[Jared @ Nov 17th 2008 10:14AM]

1.64 was the hypothetical limit

[thatrotierkid @ Nov 17th 2008 10:16AM]

read the sentence right after your quote ended. if you still dont get it, read the rest of the paragraph engadget posted.

[APStorm @ Nov 17th 2008 10:26AM]

Yes, you obviously are missing something...

[rems @ Nov 17th 2008 10:15AM]

Intel makes the top 5 with 3 of its own superPCs, wait to go.

[bob sakamano @ Nov 17th 2008 10:18AM]

way*

[APStorm @ Nov 17th 2008 10:24AM]

Of course, the article focuses on the top two, which both utilize AMD processors (Roadrunner using Cells to augment the Opterons, though).

[schmitty338 @ Nov 17th 2008 12:40PM]

Wow....there sure are a lot of asterisks in this thred....

...*thread

[bob sakamano @ Nov 17th 2008 10:19AM]

funny... on a post about a "super computer" we have the most idiotic readers

[KarlW @ Nov 17th 2008 10:36AM]

The kind of people who need a supercomputer just to learn how to peel a banana.

I believe for that you need an IQ of 60.

[Lowest Ranked @ Nov 17th 2008 12:14PM]

I think you're being overly generous, Karl.

[Abuzar Baloach @ Nov 17th 2008 4:05PM]

What I find funny is that you correct people's spelling, but your grammar isn't exactly great.

[Canoo @ Nov 17th 2008 10:20AM]

hahhaha pwnt

[Kelmon @ Nov 17th 2008 10:21AM]

OK, this is bugger all to do with the article itself but....Road Runner & Wile E. Coyote...best cartoon series ever made? Discuss.

For my part, I vote "yes". I can't remember the number of times I've watched them yet they still make me laugh 'till I cry.

[bob sakamano @ Nov 17th 2008 10:24AM]

also.. is itchy/scratchy and tom/jerry knock offs?

[bob sakamano @ Nov 17th 2008 10:25AM]

are*

[Kizorblade @ Nov 17th 2008 10:44AM]

My vote = Yes

[r3loaded @ Nov 17th 2008 10:48AM]

Meep meep! Pchow!

[loocas @ Nov 17th 2008 11:32AM]

*beep *beep

[Pretend Geek @ Nov 17th 2008 10:31AM]

pwnd*

[OLCB @ Nov 17th 2008 11:25AM]

Test Comment

[Lowest Ranked @ Nov 17th 2008 12:22PM]

[//1125 Hours, November 17th, 2008 (Military Calendar)--//: \
Milky Way Galaxy, Sol System, Location Unknown-

-Test Comment received. Successful operation of commenting system has been confirmed as [POSTING SUCCESS], and initial progress from [TESTING PHASE] will commence it 0200 hours.

Blink off.

[liv @ Nov 17th 2008 4:09PM]

you my good sir WIN TEH FUCKING INTERNETS... I fell of my chair laughing :))

[N @ Nov 17th 2008 11:39AM]

The number posted last week by ORNL was a combined number running across both the Jaguar XT4 and the new Jaguar Cray XT5 systems. These systems are technically separate systems, so that is why you see two Jaguar listings on TOP500. To my knowledge, they have never had a single 1.6TF system.

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Nov 17th 2008 2:12PM]

In before some 14 year old douchebag brags about how he could beat this spec for less money with a system he cobbled together from parts on Craigslist and a couple well-timed Newegg purchases.

[liv @ Nov 17th 2008 3:01PM]

So If Jaguar could divide by 0.. wtf can this thing do?

[loocas @ Nov 17th 2008 3:14PM]

Multiply by it?