[luau] News - Using MOSIX

[Warren Togami]

http://www.linux-mag.com/2002-06/extreme_01.html
"Parallel computing can solve large problems more quickly because it
focuses the processing power of many computers working in tandem (called
a cluster) on a single task. A master node in the cluster breaks the
problem into discrete parts, and passes tasks and computational data to
slave nodes. The master node receives results from the slave nodes and
generates a final answer. Coordination of the entire process is
controlled with message-passing APIs.

"However, these message-passing APIs have some significant drawbacks.
Most algorithms require considerable design and modifications to
optimize them for parallel computing. And different processor speeds of
various nodes in the cluster can also make it difficult to re-code an
algorithm: if the slowest node causes others to wait for it to complete
its portion of an algorithm, then the cluster is not being optimally
utilized.

"Fortunately, there's another way to allocate tasks in a cluster of
disparate processors that does not require you to rethink your
algorithms. It's called MOSIX (http://www.mosix.com/), the Multicomputer
Operating System for UnIX. It was developed by Professor Amnon Barak and
collaborators at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel..." 
(continued in article)