OK, I can finally talk about it (fwd)

[Dean Johnson]

On Mon, 2002-09-23 at 15:04, Richard Walsh wrote:
> 
> Ron Minnich wrote:
> 
> >One question I keep getting from the Big Computer Vendors: "how many nodes
> >will this sell this year? How much money?" Well, this year, linuxbios will
> >sell at least 2500 or so dual-P4 nodes, not counting all the other types
> >of nodes currently selling. And, though it is a small number, total
> >linuxbios cluster node sales this year are over $16M, up from $0M last
> >year.
> 
> Think the LinuxBios idea is cool and progres great, but noticed 
> that a simple division:
> 
>      $16,000,000  /  2500 =  $6,400
> 
> Is a bit on the high side (about $2,000 over what I need to 
> speed to get a fast dual-P4 Myrinet cluster today) ... perhaps 
> doing this division is too simple(istic)?
> 
> Can you comment? Thanks,

Once you start adding racks and cables and such, the cost rockets
upwards quickly. I still have to figure out whether, by weight, fiber
cables are more expensive than gold. You might even throw in a little
*gasp* "profit margin". For those who haven't heard that term before,
you can probably find a definition in an "old economy" economics text.
;-)

	-Dean