NASA Shuts Down Last Mainframe, Signals End of an Era

[Guest]

NASA announced that it has abandoned its last mainframe, an IBM Z9 system.

NASA Shuts Down Last Mainframe, Signals End of an Era : Read more

 

[zorky9]

I bet that can still play Crysis.

 

[jdamon113]

can I have it

 

[Netherscourge]

Wow, that thing must be LOADED with space porn!

 

[nforce4max]

At least by shutting it down they now have a little more room in their budget for other projects and upgrades to other systems they have.

 

[ben850]

I wonder what kind of tasks they gave this powerful machine..

Also makes me wonder what kind of machines the government uses to crack encrypted data.

 

[ProDigit10]

NASA could start renting out the mainframe!
Another option is to sell it, before it becomes slower than a hand cellphone!

 

[ta152h]

She forgot to mention performance. The z/196 at 5.2 GHz is considerably more powerful than even a Bulldozer. OK, so is my vintage 8088 if I jack it up to 7.16 MHz.

 

[esrever]

can't read the word mainframe without thinking about reboot...

 

[A Bad Day]

Considering the fact that NASA receives less funding than US Air Force's air conditioning costs, why am I not surprised they're forced to slash budgets?

 

[SteelCity1981]

And now it's only worth thousands of dollars.

 

[stratplaya]

Please tell me they're not going to personal computers for their IS needs. Mission critical applications should not be run on a PC or MAC.

 

[zerghumper]

I'd love to have one or two of those mainframes for folding!

 

[house70]

[citation][nom]A Bad Day[/nom]Considering the fact that NASA receives less funding than US Air Force's air conditioning costs, why am I not surprised they're forced to slash budgets?[/citation]
Because the business of killing people has always been more profitable than any business dedicated to the bettering of mankind. That's why the defense industry laughs all the way to the bank, while the rest have to tighten their belts.

 

[__-_-_-__]

one thing I don't realise is why these organizations don't bet more on distributed computing.
it would be much better and way more cheaper. I mean all these organizations have thousands of pc's around. either for more complex tasks or for very simple tasks like word processing etc. these pc's have a huge processing power that is wasted. with distributed computing they could take advantage of it and save billions of dollars on everything while getting the very same results.

 

[rantoc]

They just re-brandet it "the cloud" and the terminal era continues under that name but this time with phones and tablets... =P

 

[f-14]

bet the RIAA and MPAA made them shut it down with all the copies of 2001 a space odyssey being pirated off of it

 

[kinggremlin]

[citation][nom]house70[/nom]Because the business of killing people has always been more profitable than any business dedicated to the bettering of mankind. That's why the defense industry laughs all the way to the bank, while the rest have to tighten their belts.[/citation]

When your country gets taken over by another one because you had nothing to defend yourself with, that space program you're so proud of is going to look pretty useless.

I think it is a stretch to describe the primary purpose of NASA as "for the betterment of mankind." Teflon, Tang and velcro are all nice inventions, but hardly worth the budget that NASA has had to invent them if as you claim, NASA's purpose is to better mankind. NASA, itself, has done very little beyond generating jingoistic pride when it comes to having any sort of significant impact on human lives.

NASA has done some very interesting and amazing things, and there is absolutely a place for it in our national budget, but don't kid yourself about bettering mankind. It's not doing that. At least it hasn't yet.

 

[mad tech]

imagine getting a BSOD in Space 😀

 

[Chetou]

[citation][nom]kinggremlin[/nom]When your country gets taken over by another one because you had nothing to defend yourself with, that space program you're so proud of is going to look pretty useless.
I think it is a stretch to describe the primary purpose of NASA as "for the betterment of mankind." Teflon, Tang and velcro are all nice inventions, but hardly worth the budget that NASA has had to invent them if as you claim, NASA's purpose is to better mankind. NASA, itself, has done very little beyond generating jingoistic pride when it comes to having any sort of significant impact on human lives.NASA has done some very interesting and amazing things, and there is absolutely a place for it in our national budget, but don't kid yourself about bettering mankind. It's not doing that. At least it hasn't yet.[/citation]

http://space.about.com/od/toolsequipment/ss/apollospinoffs.htm
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/50-years-50-giant-leaps-how-nasa-rocked-our-world-879377.html
http://curiosity.discovery.com/topic/physics-concepts-and-definitions/ten-nasa-inventions.htm
...

Those useless bastards, think of how many more guns could've been made with their part of the budget!

 

[Guest]

Skynet: "Foiled again!"

 

[EXT64]

So kinggremlin believes it is better to give up and start nuking everyone rather than to try to push our engineering and science professions to their limits. NASA is much more than just space as well. Their research in aerodynamics and airplane propulsion were and are essential to the advancement of air transportation.

 

[NuclearShadow]

[citation][nom]Chetou[/nom]http://space.about.com/od/toolsequ [...] inoffs.htmhttp://www.independent.co.uk/news/ [...] 79377.htmlhttp://curiosity.discovery.com/top [...] ntions.htm...Those useless bastards, think of how many more guns could've been made with their part of the budget![/citation]


I concur, if we weren't wasting all this money on liberal, hippie, socialist, communist, Marxist , Stalinism, anti-God, troop hating space program we could be going around invading more countries!
I'm looking at you Kyrgyzstan! For too long they have ummm.... hidden under the worlds radar and are likely doing something we do not agree with!

God bless America and no place else.

 

[10tacle]

[citation][nom]kinggremlin[/nom]NASA has done some very interesting and amazing things, and there is absolutely a place for it in our national budget, but don't kid yourself about bettering mankind. It's not doing that. At least it hasn't yet.[/citation]

That has got to be one of the most ignorant comments I have ever read. Anywhere. Congratulations kingrim - you won the asshat of the month award.

 

[10tacle]

[citation][nom]kinggremlin[/nom]NASA has done some very interesting and amazing things, and there is absolutely a place for it in our national budget, but don't kid yourself about bettering mankind. It's not doing that. At least it hasn't yet.[/citation]

That has got to be one of the most ignorant comments I've ever read. Anywhere.