Just an idea...

I'm just brainstorming here, so it probably won't work, but could you make a cluster with computers that are not running the same version of OSX, such as a 17'' intel imac running snow leopard and a new imac running lion?

bump for you.. no real answer here but a little clarification is requested..
Cluster?.. a few Macs on the same wifi?? or a few Macs using the same server??

No I think what he is shooting for is getting a series of Macs working together on the same task. Xgrid - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I have thought about doing this since it was introduced but never tried it. When I last looked at this the GUI configuration tool mentioned in the article was not available as a download. I also could not find a straight answer at the time about whether the programs one wanted to run needed to specifically support XGrid. XGrid is still listed as an option in the Sharing preference pane.

Slydude said:

No I think what he is shooting for is getting a series of Macs working together on the same task.

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Yes, That's what I mean.

Slydude said:

No I think what he is shooting for is getting a series of Macs working together on the same task.

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If the software would allow it...can you imagine a:

- Mac SE
- Centris 650
- Mac IIfx
- Powerbook 1400
- Powermac 9600
- iBook G3
- iMac G3
- Powermac G4
- iMac G5
- MacBook Pro

All working on the same project (looking for extra-terrestrial life)??

The older Mac's wouldn't be contributing much "horsepower"...but it would be interesting (and so would the electric bill)!

- Nick

p.s. Of course there would be almost no way this would work...considering the age & different OS requirements of the computers. But fun to think about/imagine!

At the time I was going to use my G5 and Mac Pro. I don't want to search for ETs they may want me to come home. I like it fine here.

Prior to reading the OPs post I was going to ask what software supported this? I was thinking maybe it would be useful for speeding up some video rendering operations etc.

pigoo3 said:

p.s. Of course there would be almost no way this would work...considering the age & different OS requirements of the computers. But fun to think about/imagine!

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Well, you could hack the older computers and make them run Mountain Lion or something.

Slydude said:

I don't want to search for ETs they may want me to come home. I like it fine here.

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Are you saying you have a face that's not quite ready for "Prime Time Internet"?



- Nick

ipadsandmac said:

Well, you could hack the older computers and make them run Mountain Lion or something.

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You're kidding...right?

- Nick

Yeah that's it . The fact that I am secretly a cyborg is irrelevant.

BTW you're in charge of the project to make ancient gear run ML. I'm not expecting it to run on the SE 30s or 512s. Anything LC II and beyond is fine.

Slydude said:

BTW you're in charge of the project to make ancient gear run ML. I'm not expecting it to run on the SE 30s or 512s. Anything LC II and beyond is fine.

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Shoot. If I could get ML to run on say even an iMac G3 (or any PPC based Mac)...I would be a GOD!!!

Heck...as we know...there are a bunch of "Intel-Mac's" ML won't run on (at least at the moment). Heck x2...there are Intel Mac's that won't run Lion...let alone ML!!

- Nick

Any Mac with Xgrid app is the client. Xgrid needs only 2 machines to qualify a cluster. If your unix savvy select the create custom plug-in job to write your own plug ins. Mandelbrot came with Xgrid as a mathematical calculating program.

Originally I was going to connect the Mac Pro and a G5. Now it would be my MB Pro and Mac Pro. I don't think there is a lot of software out there that makes use of this. Especially since I have not been able to get Visual Hub up and working under Lion.