History of Linux hpc/supercomputing
Hi all, It's been about 30 years since supercomputer designers started using Linux and off-the-shelf hardware. Does anyone study the history of that field? -- *Evan Koblentz* - Senior Writer, Office of Communications and Marketing - Adjunct Instructor, Ying Wu College of Computing - Advisor, NJIT Lego Club evank@njit.edu <evan.a.koblentz@njit.edu> (973) 596-3065 <9735963065> https://web.njit.edu/~evank/
Hi Evan, hi all, there’s a wonderful book about the Supercomputing Center at the University of Stuttgart, Germany by David Gugerli and Ricky Wichum: Simulation for All. The Politics of Supercomputing in Stuttgart. Zürich 2021. https://www.chronos-verlag.ch/node/28049 Simulation for All chronos-verlag.ch I recently wrote a review about the great book, which you find here: https://www.hsozkult.de/review/id/reb-96086?title=geschichte-und-umwelt-von-... It’s in German, but you can easily translate it. They also cover more recent developments. I’m not sure though if they elaborate on Linux Best Martin Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter | digital enthusiast UNIVERSITÄT PADERBORN Historisches Institut Zeitgeschichte, Neuere & Neuste Geschichte, Digital History https://www.uni-paderborn.de/person/100968 Tel.: +49 5251 60-2428 Zuletzt erschienen: Schmitt, Martin: „Socialist AI? Societal Use, Economic Implementation, and the Tensions of Applied Computer Science in Late Socialist GDR“, in: IEEE Annals Hist. Comput. (2023), S. 66-79.
Am 28.04.2025 um 21:34 schrieb Koblentz, Evan via Members <members@lists.sigcis.org>:
Hi all,
It's been about 30 years since supercomputer designers started using Linux and off-the-shelf hardware. Does anyone study the history of that field?
-- Evan Koblentz
- Senior Writer, Office of Communications and Marketing - Adjunct Instructor, Ying Wu College of Computing - Advisor, NJIT Lego Club
evank@njit.edu <mailto:evan.a.koblentz@njit.edu> (973) 596-3065 <tel:9735963065> https://web.njit.edu/~evank/ _______________________________________________ This email is relayed from members at sigcis.org, the email discussion list of SHOT SIGCIS. Opinions expressed here are those of the member posting and are not reviewed, edited, or endorsed by SIGCIS. The list archives are at http://lists.sigcis.org/pipermail/members-sigcis.org/ and you can change your subscription options at http://lists.sigcis.org/listinfo.cgi/members-sigcis.org
The concept of Unix clusters predated Linux; I think Linux on commodity kit is indeed about 30 years old. The first Unix-ish cluster I'm personally aware of was proposed at CERN in 1990, e.g. https://inspirehep.net/literature/327239. Changing to commodity Linux came a few years later Regards Brian Carpenter On 29-Apr-25 07:34, Koblentz, Evan via Members wrote:
Hi all,
It's been about 30 years since supercomputer designers started using Linux and off-the-shelf hardware. Does anyone study the history of that field?
--
*Evan Koblentz***
- Senior Writer, Office of Communications and Marketing
- Adjunct Instructor, Ying Wu College of Computing
- Advisor, NJIT Lego Club
evank@njit.edu <mailto:evan.a.koblentz@njit.edu>
(973) 596-3065 <tel:9735963065>
https://web.njit.edu/~evank/ <https://web.njit.edu/~evank/>
_______________________________________________ This email is relayed from members at sigcis.org, the email discussion list of SHOT SIGCIS. Opinions expressed here are those of the member posting and are not reviewed, edited, or endorsed by SIGCIS. The list archives are at http://lists.sigcis.org/pipermail/members-sigcis.org/ and you can change your subscription options at http://lists.sigcis.org/listinfo.cgi/members-sigcis.org
Thank you Brian On Mon, Apr 28, 2025 at 9:20 PM Brian E Carpenter < brian.e.carpenter@gmail.com> wrote:
The concept of Unix clusters predated Linux; I think Linux on commodity kit is indeed about 30 years old.
The first Unix-ish cluster I'm personally aware of was proposed at CERN in 1990, e.g. https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://inspirehep.net/literature/327239__;!!DLa... . Changing to commodity Linux came a few years later
Regards Brian Carpenter
Hi all,
It's been about 30 years since supercomputer designers started using Linux and off-the-shelf hardware. Does anyone study the history of that field?
--
*Evan Koblentz***
- Senior Writer, Office of Communications and Marketing
- Adjunct Instructor, Ying Wu College of Computing
- Advisor, NJIT Lego Club
evank@njit.edu <mailto:evan.a.koblentz@njit.edu>
(973) 596-3065 <tel:9735963065>
https://web.njit.edu/~evank/ <https://web.njit.edu/~evank/ >
_______________________________________________ This email is relayed from members at https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://sigcis.org__;!!DLa72PTfQgg!PcdtuEN3M9U0dz... , the email discussion list of SHOT SIGCIS. Opinions expressed here are
On 29-Apr-25 07:34, Koblentz, Evan via Members wrote: those of the member posting and are not reviewed, edited, or endorsed by SIGCIS. The list archives are at https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://lists.sigcis.org/pipermail/members-sigcis... and you can change your subscription options at https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://lists.sigcis.org/listinfo.cgi/members-sig...
-- *Evan Koblentz* - Senior Writer, Office of Communications and Marketing - Adjunct Instructor, Ying Wu College of Computing - Advisor, NJIT Lego Club evank@njit.edu <evan.a.koblentz@njit.edu> (973) 596-3065 <9735963065> https://web.njit.edu/~evank/
David Bader published a brief history of his work with Linux and supercomputing in the July-September 2021 issue of IEEE Annals of Computing; it’s available via his web site at https://davidbader.net/post/20210426-linuxsupercomputer/ in PDF format. It covers his work from the early days (pre-Linux using Commodore Amiga 1000s), Beowulf clusters) through his work on Roadrunner. -- Warren R. Carithers wrc@cs.rit.edu<mailto:wrc@cs.rit.edu> mailto:wrc@cs.rit.edu RIT Computer Science https://www.cs.rit.edu/~wrc/ 102 Lomb Memorial Drive Tel: (585) 475-5393 Rochester, NY 14623-5608 Fax: (585) 475-4935 CONFIDENTIALITY NOTE (meaningless addendum, mandated by RIT policy): The information transmitted, including attachments, is intended only for the person(s) or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and destroy any copies of this information. So there. From: Members <members-bounces@lists.sigcis.org> on behalf of Koblentz, Evan via Members <members@lists.sigcis.org> Date: Monday, April 28, 2025 at 3:36 PM To: members@SIGCIS.org <members@sigcis.org> Subject: [SIGCIS-Members] History of Linux hpc/supercomputing Hi all, It's been about 30 years since supercomputer designers started using Linux and off-the-shelf hardware. Does anyone study the history of that field? -- Evan Koblentz - Senior Writer, Office of Communications and Marketing - Adjunct Instructor, Ying Wu College of Computing - Advisor, NJIT Lego Club evank@njit.edu<mailto:evan.a.koblentz@njit.edu> (973) 596-3065<tel:9735963065> https://web.njit.edu/~evank/
Thank you - David is here at NJIT and I know him well. :) On Tue, Apr 29, 2025 at 10:16 AM Warren Carithers via Members < members@lists.sigcis.org> wrote:
David Bader published a brief history of his work with Linux and supercomputing in the July-September 2021 issue of IEEE Annals of Computing; it’s available via his web site at https: //davidbader. net/post/20210426-linuxsupercomputer/ in PDF
David Bader published a brief history of his work with Linux and supercomputing in the July-September 2021 issue of IEEE Annals of Computing; it’s available via his web site at https://davidbader.net/post/20210426-linuxsupercomputer/ <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://davidbader.net/post/20210426-linuxsupercomputer/__;!!DLa72PTfQgg!JseedSp8a71QGK1hYbEguPKwuL-WeDlH6_yZTyxO3hGAahF3Atdz_MVYK6UXYTQg85l3O6wue-OwliFbzwA$> in PDF format. It covers his work from the early days (pre-Linux using Commodore Amiga 1000s), Beowulf clusters) through his work on Roadrunner.
--
Warren R. Carithers wrc@cs.rit.edu mailto:wrc@cs.rit.edu <wrc@cs.rit.edu>
RIT Computer Science https://www.cs.rit.edu/~wrc/ <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.cs.rit.edu/*wrc/__;fg!!DLa72PTfQgg!JseedSp8a71QGK1hYbEguPKwuL-WeDlH6_yZTyxO3hGAahF3Atdz_MVYK6UXYTQg85l3O6wue-OwkSujgak$>
102 Lomb Memorial Drive Tel: (585) 475-5393
Rochester, NY 14623-5608 Fax: (585) 475-4935
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTE (meaningless addendum, mandated by RIT policy): The information transmitted, including attachments, is intended only for the person(s) or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and destroy any copies of this information. So there.
*From: *Members <members-bounces@lists.sigcis.org> on behalf of Koblentz, Evan via Members <members@lists.sigcis.org> *Date: *Monday, April 28, 2025 at 3:36 PM *To: *members@SIGCIS.org <members@sigcis.org> *Subject: *[SIGCIS-Members] History of Linux hpc/supercomputing
Hi all,
It's been about 30 years since supercomputer designers started using Linux and off-the-shelf hardware. Does anyone study the history of that field?
--
*Evan Koblentz*
- Senior Writer, Office of Communications and Marketing
- Adjunct Instructor, Ying Wu College of Computing
- Advisor, NJIT Lego Club
evank@njit.edu <evan.a.koblentz@njit.edu>
(973) 596-3065 <9735963065>
https://web.njit.edu/~evank/ _______________________________________________ This email is relayed from members at https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://sigcis.org__;!!DLa72PTfQgg!JseedSp8a71QGK... , the email discussion list of SHOT SIGCIS. Opinions expressed here are those of the member posting and are not reviewed, edited, or endorsed by SIGCIS. The list archives are at https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://lists.sigcis.org/pipermail/members-sigcis... and you can change your subscription options at https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://lists.sigcis.org/listinfo.cgi/members-sig...
-- *Evan Koblentz* - Senior Writer, Office of Communications and Marketing - Adjunct Instructor, Ying Wu College of Computing - Advisor, NJIT Lego Club evank@njit.edu <evan.a.koblentz@njit.edu> (973) 596-3065 <9735963065> https://web.njit.edu/~evank/
participants (4)
-
Brian E Carpenter -
Koblentz, Evan -
Martin Schmitt -
Warren Carithers