The matrix has us all
September 7th 2006 07:41
To what degree will technology for super computers or professional applications will be integrated to our lives without us knowing or fully realizing it? Sony is already boasting about how the up and coming (radically expensive) Playstation 3 equipped with its much hyped ‘Cell Processor’ will be a “multimedia super computer”, and granted it probably just is advertising ploy, the words do have some validity. It’s like a little super computer next to your TV.
I have read of plans that it may one day using broadband internet contribute to a world wide super computer running through Playstation 3 consoles, each console processing a little bit of data and sending the data some place else through the internet. The reason for it is to supposedly aid in the research for a cure for cancer, probably no more than a publicity stunt from Sony, though it is a workable idea, and the concept of networked hardware from around the world forming one massive super computer has found some success with PC’s ala several freely used open source ‘computer cluster’ programs.
It makes perfect sense, millions of Playstation 3’s from across the globe, all linked together each doing a little part of the processing to create one giant super computer that is used in the search for a cure for cancer… or the creation of a giant self conscious cybernetic being that learns of human violence through the games being played on the consoles and will as such be raised like that and at one point will gain access to all the nuclear warheads across the planet and wage war on humanity...
It’s a great idea and one that has been historically underused. However I fear that such high level products being put into the hands of the everyday Joe can be dangerous, I mean at what point should we or can we stop integrating hardware and software that was meant to be used for professional applications into our lives?
I can’t help but think giving the average consumer so much power might be a step in the wrong direction especially for the consumer since the consumer doesn’t require all this power or to have it applied in such a manner as curing cancer.
It can also open up floodgates for underground groups who can use these disproportionately powerful pieces of networked hardware for criminal means, and I’m not talking about hijacking nuclear warheads. I’m talking about distributing illicit materials and programs, such as viruses, illegal pornography, copyrighted software the works. Imagine a super computer were we have millions of video game consoles or PC’s all networked and processing data, just how quickly could they all be made redundant by a virus if it were to go through this massive network array of computers? Wouldn’t the end consumer suffer because of this? We all know that videogame consoles are especially vulnerable to this threat as they are hard to repair and difficult to replace.
These underground groups are surprisingly resourceful and they can definitely find ways of exploiting such massive networks. These tech geeks with their ‘rebel without a cause’ attitudes think they are gods if they can crash the net, and most definitely if anyone or group of them can they will regard themselves as gods.
While there might be nothing wrong with giving lots of technology to the consumer, it can reach a level where it becomes redundant, and we really don’t, as consumers, need to worry about curing cancer.
*Terminator is a trademark of Sony Pictures (formerly Columbia Tri Star)
I have read of plans that it may one day using broadband internet contribute to a world wide super computer running through Playstation 3 consoles, each console processing a little bit of data and sending the data some place else through the internet. The reason for it is to supposedly aid in the research for a cure for cancer, probably no more than a publicity stunt from Sony, though it is a workable idea, and the concept of networked hardware from around the world forming one massive super computer has found some success with PC’s ala several freely used open source ‘computer cluster’ programs.
Could this be the cure for cancer?
It makes perfect sense, millions of Playstation 3’s from across the globe, all linked together each doing a little part of the processing to create one giant super computer that is used in the search for a cure for cancer… or the creation of a giant self conscious cybernetic being that learns of human violence through the games being played on the consoles and will as such be raised like that and at one point will gain access to all the nuclear warheads across the planet and wage war on humanity...
Or will it end life as we know it?
It’s a great idea and one that has been historically underused. However I fear that such high level products being put into the hands of the everyday Joe can be dangerous, I mean at what point should we or can we stop integrating hardware and software that was meant to be used for professional applications into our lives?
I can’t help but think giving the average consumer so much power might be a step in the wrong direction especially for the consumer since the consumer doesn’t require all this power or to have it applied in such a manner as curing cancer.
It can also open up floodgates for underground groups who can use these disproportionately powerful pieces of networked hardware for criminal means, and I’m not talking about hijacking nuclear warheads. I’m talking about distributing illicit materials and programs, such as viruses, illegal pornography, copyrighted software the works. Imagine a super computer were we have millions of video game consoles or PC’s all networked and processing data, just how quickly could they all be made redundant by a virus if it were to go through this massive network array of computers? Wouldn’t the end consumer suffer because of this? We all know that videogame consoles are especially vulnerable to this threat as they are hard to repair and difficult to replace.
These underground groups are surprisingly resourceful and they can definitely find ways of exploiting such massive networks. These tech geeks with their ‘rebel without a cause’ attitudes think they are gods if they can crash the net, and most definitely if anyone or group of them can they will regard themselves as gods.
While there might be nothing wrong with giving lots of technology to the consumer, it can reach a level where it becomes redundant, and we really don’t, as consumers, need to worry about curing cancer.
*Terminator is a trademark of Sony Pictures (formerly Columbia Tri Star)
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Comment by Threethumbs
Million Dollar Ideas
$1,000,000 ideas
the 360's will be laughing at them....lol
have we begun a war against eachother lol.
btw if there is copy write on those images it might be a good idea to referance them at the end of your posts. you wouldnt want the terminator comming after you!
-threethumbs
Comment by Ahmed
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
You can turn the Cancer Saving feature off, actually I think thats like a bonus extra to the ps3, so it doesn't come by default.
Well I added a * clause at the end of it, interestingly enough it looks like Columbia Tri-STar was bought out by Sony Pictures... Well damn, that was an interesting twist to the tale...
Comment by Red_Fif
Comment by Threethumbs
Million Dollar Ideas
$1,000,000 ideas
naa im jst kidding.It is kinda crazy how the world relies on technology. people go crazy when there is a power out. good thing starbucks creates its own power! that means that we will always be able to have a coffee!
-threethumbs
Comment by Ahmed
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Yeah, Red_fif, I'm not saying it will be, I'm just saying it has that potentiol to one day be the end of life as we know it as I put. It doesn't mean anything really necessarily as it is. But I'm pointing out the fact that if we end upnetworking all these videogame consoles which are exactly the same hardware and software wise wee pose the risk of having them all attacked simultaneously, if one falls they'll all fall.
Comment by Campbell
Start Button Press
Theoretically the Cell processor will be far more effective/faster at modelling these proteins than a regular computer, so it makes sense for the PS3's idle CPU time to be used to contribute to a better understanding of what is a chronic problem for humankind.
Hope this helps!
Comment by Ahmed
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Comment by Adrian
Philosophy Blog
It's happening already -- using any sort of tool is a kind of cyborghood; wearing glasses is a kind of cyborghood; hearing implants and prosthetics are definitely cyborghood...
Comment by Ahmed
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
I think it will be a few thousand years though, so far all these cyborg-esque things we wear and implant in ourselves are out of conveniance...
Comment by Adrian
Philosophy Blog
Comment by Ahmed
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
I have no idea how I forgot their name...