[rbanffy]

Photons are still a lot faster than electrons. Latency at the endpoints is still a thing, but this allows a lot of 800 Gbps channels along distances copper can't match.

I don't want to think about the NUMA model for a beast that takes this to its upper limits.

[sitkack]

What is the class of problem that can be solved by computers of a certain size (compute density metric)? If a computer is basically instantaneous, but has to communicate over vast distances, it still couldn't solve large problems.

Couldn't we have already made 100k core single image OSs running over RDMA?

[throwaway_pdp09]

I don't think @rbanffy is claiming such a class of problems exist. I certainly didn't read it that way.

[sitkack]

@rbanffy might know if they do.

[rbanffy]

I'm sure that, as we extend the capabilities of our machines, we'll find new problems or approaches to known problems that were not practical up until then.

Like I mentioned, this can increase bandwidth and reduce latency between system components, making warehouse-sized computers look like container-sized ones. I bet we can find some use for that.