CHERRY PIE: TINY SUPER COMPUTER WANNABE
It's finally here - Cherry Pie, a Tiny Super Computer Wannabe, for hobbyists and students who can't afford 55 million dollars for the real thing but want to build their own smaller working version for experimenting, learning, having fun and play.
The Cherry Pie attempts to use techniques to super-size your existing Propeller chips, multiply their "Cogs" and make a computing machine with more power, function and intrigue! Cherry Processors are less than a penny each!
INTRO & STATS
This is a cute tiny parallel platform almost like the big supercomputers on the Top 500 List. It has lots of parallel cores, multi-threaded processors, it's own fully functional real time operating system RTOS (for thousands of cherry processors) and interfaces galore for nearly every imaginable configuration (parallel, serial, full duplex, half duplex, party line, one wire, etc.). It's simple, homey, and a lot like cherry pie in likeability.
TECHNOLOGY
Cherry Pie is based on technology developed for the Spin Brain which has filtered down from the actual Big Brain that turned Supercomputer last year. These Tiny Wannabe Super Computers are fully operational, function in parallel, and have wee-tiny output monitors on each chip for experiments on a budget.
— We expect these will go like hotcakes once the schools discover they're a learning bonanza substitute for the real thing. —
— Educators state, switching to Cherry Pie <tiny super computer wannabe>, 55 million dollars or 55 dollars was an easy choice for students and the university' curriculum —
PRICING
They're almost a dime a dozen, though you'll still need to purchase from one to five Parallax Multi Core chips at about $7.99 each. But you can start with one chip and "supersize" its eight RISC cores to super computer stuffins classification, then add more chips as your wallet grows in increments of $7.99. This is about a dollar a hard core or CPU. Not bad! Throw in handful of common components from the electronic parts store and you should be ready to get started immediately! But wait! There's more! The cost of a single Cherry processor drops to less than a penny.
AMORTIZING
The amortized cost is far less. The enhanced Propeller chip rises from 8 RISC cores to a combined 1008 processors. Running five chips provides a total of 5,040 Cherry processors. As each chip is $7.99, the amortized cost per Cherry processor is only $.008 - not even a full penny per processor!
SPEED
The speed is also tiny. You'll need to pretend the actual thousand MIPs rating is thousands of times faster. But don't worry, we have several ways to load up the chips with enhancements that make this tiny machine "function" more like an actual supercomputer. With your hair flung back from hairspray and the fallout-wind of this tiny slick supercomputer wannabe, it's sure to be a win-win situation.
WANNABE
Wannabe is good - and not a bad thing, as proven by Daniel Hammer, professor of bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania. He's reportedly working with artificial cells made from polymers, which can mimic the ease with which white blood cells travel through the body. These could deliver drugs directly where they're needed, making it easier and safer to fight off certain diseases, including cancer.
ADVANTAGES
Cherry Pie has advantages. It doesn't need the support team of a lunar landing. It doesn't need a large room or entire building to hold it. It doesn't result in a monthly electric bill more costly than purchasing a house.
LINKS
SPIN BRAIN
BIG BRAIN
PARALLAX
PROPELLER CHIP P8x32A-D40
PROP PLUG 32201
to be continued