Roadrunners and Petaflops

After surpassing the petaflop barrier, by processing over a quadrillion mathematical calculations per second, the plug is finally being pulled and the Roadrunner retired. Roadrunner was a super computer and is being replaced by smaller faster models that are looking to surpass the next barrier, exascale, by performing a quintillion mathematical calculations per second. I saw a photo of Roadrunner and he was huge and definitely outdated looking, at least compared to the stuff people are using today. I do realize that my grandkids aren’t using their IPhones, IPad Minis, and Kindle FireHDs for mathematical calculations but these days they sure seem to be able to do a lot with them. I really had hoped petaflop was a word related to pole vaulting or some failed project or protest by the people for ethical treatment of animals, but no such luck with those ideas. I think I will attempt to create my own meaning for petaflop by taking some grandkids and pets to the dog park (Tommy Casey Memorial Dog Park in St. Marys). The kids and pets can run the obstacle course a bazillion times while I flop on one of the nicely shaded benches to watch. Sounds like a plan to me J.