[Beowulf] A quote attributed to Grace Hopper

Jim Lux James.P.Lux at jpl.nasa.gov
Sat Dec 9 16:48:41 PST 2006


On the centennial of Adm. Hopper's birth:

She said in respect of the building of bigger computers: "In pioneer 
days they used oxen for heavy pulling, and when one ox couldn't budge 
a log, they didn't try to grow a larger ox. We shouldn't be trying 
for bigger computers, but for more systems of computers."

which I find particularly relevant to Beowulfery...

(I don't know if should would have advocated programming a cluster in 
COBOL, though...)

James Lux, P.E.
Spacecraft Radio Frequency Subsystems Group
Flight Communications Systems Section
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Mail Stop 161-213
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena CA 91109
tel: (818)354-2075
fax: (818)393-6875 





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