When I started in resesearch back in 2000, every self-respecting theoretical physicist would have some kind of special-purpose workstation sitting around. I lea

When I started in resesearch back in 2000, every self-respecting theoretical physicist would have some kind of special-purpose workstation sitting around. I learned Unix on the astronomy department's Suns, before switching to a much funkier-looking AlphaStation when I switched departments. They were the last of a dying breed, though. By circa 2003 when they were up for replacement there was really no point in having one of these over a high-end commodity box running Linux. Circa 2011, my next "workstation" will probably be a MacBook Air. With the rise of cheap commodity clusters there's really no point in even trying to have signficiant number-crunching power on your own desk. I don't miss the Suns though. They were a bastard to use.