Microsoft Tries to Make Computers More Super
Microsoft (MSFT) has formed a new group to better its share of the market for the most powerful computers in the world. Its plan of attack: Make the machines easier to use.
On Monday, Microsoft said it has created an effort called the Technical Computing Initiative focused on the field of high-performance computing, in which dozens to thousands of PCs are lashed together to jointly perform complex calculations beyond the capacity of individual machines. Microsoft has quietly staffed up the group with several hundred employees and is launching a marketing push with a new website touting trends in high-performance computing.
While most people will never come close to needing a high-performance computer, they’re key to the design of a lot of everyday products. They help engineers simulate the impact of wind shear on airplanes and scientists to discover new drugs. Hedge-funds feed mountains of data into them to develop trading strategies.
