Excerpts from the Introduction:

The quest to capture and manipulate the world in digital form began when the first vacuum tube computers were used to calculate trajectories and crack codes. Viewed through today's technology, these problems seem trivial and could easily be solved on your cell phone and PDA. The quest to capture and compute continues to this day. The power to model and manipulate our world in silicon has enabled vast changes in how we conduct science, business, and even our everyday lives. From the next scientific breakthrough to new and better products to a greener world, High Performance Computing (HPC) is playing a central role in all these efforts.

In simple terms, HPC enables us to first model then manipulate those things that are important to us. HPC changes everything. It is too important to ignore or push aside. Indeed, HPC has moved from a selective and expensive endeavor to a cost-effective technology within reach of virtually every budget. This book will help you to get a handle on exactly what HPC does and can be.

High Performance Computing For Dummies, Sun and AMD Special Edition is intended for anyone who has heard about the many benefits of using HPC (such as streamlining processes or saving money). This book explains what HPC is and shows how it can help you or others within your company.