4 ms·

Maybe the time is right for SGI to get back into making workstations again now that Apple doesn't seem to care as much as before.

rch 10y ago
How about Cray? This was my favorite workstation: > typical tower form-factor (a little oversized) > maximum of eight modular single-width blades > active noise cancellation system built into the cooling apparatus > modules could be optimized for compute, storage, or visualization > redundant power supplies designed to support traditional office power > integrated network switches for Ethernet and/or Infiniband https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cray_CX1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cray_CX1 http://wwwjp.cray.com/images_jp/side-by-side-cx1-painted.jpg http://wwwjp.cray.com/images_jp/side-by-side-cx1-painted.jpg
DigitalJack 10y ago
Why? Just buy something from newegg and call it "workstation." Apple has two things going for them: top notch physical quality laptops and macOs. That's really it. Who cares how shiny a desktop workstation is... ideally you don't even see it. the only reason to buy a desktop from Apple is macOs. And if that doesn't matter to you, why by from apple at all? And for that matter why buy a desktop from anyone when you can put them together yourself like legos.
- dragonbonheur 10y ago
  Why? Because a lot of people are begging for a Mac Pro upgrade. Not a concept trashcan computer, not a thinner laptop. A serious computer for serious people who do serious work like video editing, special effects, running TV studios, high performance computing, chemical engineering, etc.
- TylerE 10y ago
  There are more useful attributes to a well-made desktop system than "shiny". "Quiet" is a big one.
  - RHSeeger 10y ago
    My MacBookPro is considerably louder than my desktop (Windows) gaming PC with 6 fans in it. When the laptop gets hot, its a beast as far as noise (comparatively speaking, that is... its not going to disrupt a call or anything).
  - imagetic 10y ago
    Not really. The Mac Pro, while insanely quiet for what's inside of it, can't handle high resolution video production and graphics work. The fans peg and heat blasts out the top but the GPUs overheat at 130+ degrees and introduce artifacts into the finished media. So in the end, the design is flawed. Which is a huge problem now that almost every production camera is 4k or higher now. Liquid cooling in a PC case is near silent. And the GPU options are more powerful and have the right tools to stay cool. Only you have to put up with Windows which means locking driver versions, scheduling maintenance windows to upgrade edit bays and render machines and working closely with vendors for SAN and 10GbE options so everything keeps working.
  - quickben 10y ago
    Replacing the stock heatsink with something that is overengineered for air (Phantecks , etc), results in minimal need for fan speed, and overall reduction in noise levels.
  - PhasmaFelis 10y ago
    I like both, but "quiet" is not really much more important than "shiny" in a practical sense. It's just visual vs. auditory aesthetics.
  - esun 10y ago
    There are a lot of great quiet options in the PC building market right now, like PSUs that don't turn a fan at all under normal loads. It is possible to build a PC or Hackintosh that is as quiet as a Mac Mini.
runjake 10y ago
SGI is no more. They collapsed and sold their branding off and it traded hands a few times into virtual non-existence.
- coredog64 10y ago
  IIRC, HP just bought the still somewhat valuable HPC technology. I'm hopeful that HP, with it's penchant for open sourcing things it doesn't understand, will open up 4dwm.

rch 10y ago

How about Cray? This was my favorite workstation: > typical tower form-factor (a little oversized) > maximum of eight modular single-width blades > active noise cancellation system built into the cooling apparatus > modules could be optimized for compute, storage, or visualization > redundant power supplies designed to support traditional office power > integrated network switches for Ethernet and/or Infiniband https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cray_CX1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cray_CX1 http://wwwjp.cray.com/images_jp/side-by-side-cx1-painted.jpg http://wwwjp.cray.com/images_jp/side-by-side-cx1-painted.jpg

DigitalJack 10y ago

Why? Just buy something from newegg and call it "workstation." Apple has two things going for them: top notch physical quality laptops and macOs. That's really it. Who cares how shiny a desktop workstation is... ideally you don't even see it. the only reason to buy a desktop from Apple is macOs. And if that doesn't matter to you, why by from apple at all? And for that matter why buy a desktop from anyone when you can put them together yourself like legos.

dragonbonheur 10y ago
Why? Because a lot of people are begging for a Mac Pro upgrade. Not a concept trashcan computer, not a thinner laptop. A serious computer for serious people who do serious work like video editing, special effects, running TV studios, high performance computing, chemical engineering, etc.
TylerE 10y ago
There are more useful attributes to a well-made desktop system than "shiny". "Quiet" is a big one.
- RHSeeger 10y ago
  My MacBookPro is considerably louder than my desktop (Windows) gaming PC with 6 fans in it. When the laptop gets hot, its a beast as far as noise (comparatively speaking, that is... its not going to disrupt a call or anything).
- imagetic 10y ago
  Not really. The Mac Pro, while insanely quiet for what's inside of it, can't handle high resolution video production and graphics work. The fans peg and heat blasts out the top but the GPUs overheat at 130+ degrees and introduce artifacts into the finished media. So in the end, the design is flawed. Which is a huge problem now that almost every production camera is 4k or higher now. Liquid cooling in a PC case is near silent. And the GPU options are more powerful and have the right tools to stay cool. Only you have to put up with Windows which means locking driver versions, scheduling maintenance windows to upgrade edit bays and render machines and working closely with vendors for SAN and 10GbE options so everything keeps working.
- quickben 10y ago
  Replacing the stock heatsink with something that is overengineered for air (Phantecks , etc), results in minimal need for fan speed, and overall reduction in noise levels.
- PhasmaFelis 10y ago
  I like both, but "quiet" is not really much more important than "shiny" in a practical sense. It's just visual vs. auditory aesthetics.
- esun 10y ago
  There are a lot of great quiet options in the PC building market right now, like PSUs that don't turn a fan at all under normal loads. It is possible to build a PC or Hackintosh that is as quiet as a Mac Mini.

runjake 10y ago

SGI is no more. They collapsed and sold their branding off and it traded hands a few times into virtual non-existence.

coredog64 10y ago
IIRC, HP just bought the still somewhat valuable HPC technology. I'm hopeful that HP, with it's penchant for open sourcing things it doesn't understand, will open up 4dwm.