Communications of the ACM
The blog archive provides access to past blog postings from Communications of the ACM and other sources by date.
February 2015
From insideHPC
The Energy Challenge for Datacenters and HPC
"As long as setting up an energy inefficient datacentre is an economically viable option for IT equipment owners, it is unlikely that substantial progress will be made towards reversing a dangerous trend. While the issue is a…
From insideHPC
IBM Redefines Storage Economics with New Software
"A new approach is needed to help clients address the cost and complexity driven by tremendous data growth," said Tom Rosamilia, Senior Vice President, IBM Systems. "Traditional storage is inefficient in today’s world where the…
From insideHPC
Developing Multilevel Security (MLS) Framework
This is the third article in a series designed to address the needs of government and business or collaborative and secure information sharing within a Multilevel Security (MLS) framework. Learn the key elements of a workable…
From Schneier on Security
IRS Encourages Poor Cryptography
I'm not sure what to make of this, or even what it means. The IRS has a standard called IDES: International Data Exchange Service: "The International Data Exchange Service (IDES) is an electronic delivery point where Financial…
From insideHPC
CHPC Propels Supercomputing in South Africa
CHPC Communications Manager Noxolo Moyake describes how the South African Center for High Performance Computing is fostering the use of supercomputing in the region. "CHPC will be a critical resource for tackling the big scientific…
From insideHPC
Video: Intro to Compiler Directives for Accelerators
"Geoscientists need tools to allow them to rapidly develop algorithms that run fast on accelerators, while at the same time deliver portability and improve productivity. They demand a single source code, with no need to maintain…
From Schneier on Security
The Equation Group's Sophisticated Hacking and Exploitation Tools
This week, Kaspersky Labs published detailed information on what it calls the Equation Group -- almost certainly the NSA -- and its abilities to embed spyware deep inside computers, gaining pretty much total control of those…
From Computational Complexity
Stephan Colbert, Jon Stewart, Andrew Sullivan, William Gasarch
Stephan Colbert is leaving the Colbert Report Jon Stewart is leaving the Daily Show Andrew Sullivan is no longer blogging Bill Gasarch has resigned as SIGACT News Book Review Editor Where will Gasarch get his news from? Where…
From insideHPC
Video: Panel Discussion on OpenACC Requirements
In this video from the University of Houston CACDS HPC Workshop, Duncan Poole from the OpenACC Standards Group moderates a panel discussion on OpenACC.
From The Computing Community Consortium Blog
Privacy by Design Workshop: Concepts and Connections
The following guest blog post is contributed by Ph.D. students Nick Doty and Richmond Wong working with Deirdre Mulligan from the University of California Berkeley School of Information. For years, lawmakers, advocates and engineers…
From insideHPC
CloudyCluster Moves HPC out of the Data Center and Into the Cloud
CloudyCluster allows you to quickly set up and configure a cluster on Amazon Web Services (AWS) to handle the most demanding HPC and Big Data tasks. You don’t need access to a data center and you don’t have to be an expert in…
From insideHPC
Satisfying Safety Standards Through Simulation
Because the requirements in terms of energy, emissions, and fuel efficiency have not been globally standardized, vehicle manufacturers are making use of increasingly sophisticated simulation to get new vehicles developed as quickly…
From Computer Science Teacher - Thoughts and Information From Alfred Thompson
One Thing Leads To Another
One of the great things about teacher blogging is the sharing of ideas. Often these ideas can be easily adapted and adopted in new ways. Earlier today Doug Peterson had an interesting post about wind chill calculations. He had…
From insideHPC
Hartree Centre Collaborates with Lenovo on ARM-based HPC
Today Lenovo announced that the company is collaborating with the STFC Hartree Centre in the U.K. on improving the energy-efficiency of HPC systems.
From Schneier on Security
Co3 Systems Changes Its Name to Resilient Systems
Today my company, Co3 Systems, is changing its name to Resilient Systems. The new name better reflects who we are and what we do. Plus, the old name was kind of dumb. I have long liked the term "resilience." If you look around…
From The Eponymous Pickle
Strategists Guide to IOT
A Strategist’s Guide to the Internet of Things ... The digital interconnection of billions of devices is today’s most dynamic business opportunity. ... " ... The IoT has its technological roots in the decades-long effort to monitor…
From The Eponymous Pickle
Product Development with Virtual Prototypes
In February IEEE Computing Now:Product Development with Virtual PrototypesDouglass Post discusses how the use of virtual prototypes analyzed with physics-based performance prediction tools is a potential game changer for product…
From The Eponymous Pickle
Anticipating Apple's Smart Home
My enterprise was one of the pioneers to create a smart home that could be rapidly modified to test new technology configurations. It was also unique in that it had a next door smart store, so you could test interactions between…
From Writing
What do you give a child as good reasons for why he/she should read?
My answer on Quora to What do you give a child as good reasons for why he/she should read?:
From insideHPC
Podcast: XSEDE Spurs on HPC at University of South Dakota
In this podcast, Computer scientist Doug Jennewein discusses how the Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE) has enhanced his work as USD's research computing manager.
From The Eponymous Pickle
Goals of Predictive Analytics Models
When I read the title of this article it said 'types' of predictive analytics models, which lead me to believe it was the kind of technical model. But no, its about the more important thing in the model, its about the value…
From The Eponymous Pickle
Business Process Models meet Watson
Have for a long time thought about the natural connections between Business Process Modeling (BPM) and the augmentation of jobs and sub tasks using Cognitive systems. We experimented with this idea in the expert system era. Saw…
From insideHPC
Radio Free HPC Looks at Archive Debacle at WGBH
"Does your archive strategy match up with today's storage economics? Henry contends that this is really worth a look as the notion that "write once to tape and forget" is a recipe for disaster. In an era where this WGBH archive…
From The Eponymous Pickle
Robots and AI at an Inflection Point
At PARC Forum: Steve Omohundro's talk: On AI and Robotics at an inflection point. Distruptive technologies. Very nice look at the current status of both technologies and their directions and implications. Social, labor…
From insideHPC
Driving NVH Simulation at Volvo
Volvo is pushing the boundaries of NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) simulation in order to improve the quality of new automobiles.
From insideHPC
Video: Michigan State’s HPCC Celebrates 10 Years of Supercomputing
"In 2015, the HPCC will begin plans to acquire a new machine that will singularly increase our available compute power at MSU. With MSU's continuing commitment to iCER, the HPCC, the creation of a new department focused on the…
From The Eponymous Pickle
Crash Course in Statistics
For Machine learning. Not enough certainly, but some good points made. With today's online resources, you don't need a room full of statisticians, just some appropriate caution. And that know-what-you-don't-know aspect is…
From Schneier on Security
Ford Proud that "Mustang" Is a Common Password
This is what happens when a PR person gets hold of information he really doesn't understand. "Mustang" is the 16th most common password on the Internet according to a recent study by SplashData, besting both "superman" in 21st…
From BLOG@CACM
Feature-Based Development: The Lasagne and the Linguini
Agile authors tell us that we can build systems one feature at a time. Can we?
From insideHPC
SC15 Steps Up with Enhanced Student Programs
The SC15 theme is ‘HPC Transforms’ and we’re looking to do as much as we can so that our student attendees’ ideas about school and careers are also transformed,” said Jeanine Cook, Student Program Chair. “In my 10 years as a …