CHAPTER 1 The World of Computers
Predicting the Weather
Weather prediction has improved markedly over the last two decades, primarily because of the advent of supercomputers and strategically placed weather satellites. The satellites provide the data which computers use to model the dynamics of weather and eventually, to extrapolate weather patterns. From this information, meteorologists make their increasingly accurate predictions. One of the biggest hurdles in weather prediction, has been the limited ability of our supercomputers to process the data in a timely fashion. Weather modeling is one of the ultimate processor hogs, challenging the fastest supercomputers. Recently a new IBM SP supercomputer, one of the top two fastest computers in the world, was leased by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction. This computer is capable of performing about 700 billion calculations per second and, when fully implemented in the next few months, will be capable of doing 2.5 trillion calculations per second. It is hoped that eventually this computer will help meteorologists make earlier and better forecasts, especially concerning the paths of hurricanes and tornadoes and for flash floods and snowstorms.
Building Corporate Computer Competency
A common complaint among management is that workers are all falling behind the technology. With only 15 percent of the workforce considered to be computer competent, management is looking for ways to increase the competency of their workers and therefore the overall productivity of their companies. Ford Motor Company has taken an unprecedented step of providing personal computers and Internet service to all employees--for their homes. Company management hopes that employees will embrace the technology in their homes and carry that understanding to the workplace. If the experiment works, will personal computers and Internet service for the home evolve as a standard corporate perk in the future?