14-10-2003 14:22									#1
	Israeli company builds first optical processor Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

http://www.eedesign.com/pressreleases/prnewswire/102622

erm, so what does that mean?

	14-10-2003 14:26									#2
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quote: Lenslet Ltd., a leader in optical digital signal processing, announced today its intent to unveil the first ever, commercial optical processor.

I think intent is operative word here.

	14-10-2003 14:30									#3
	Got spare money?

What do you mean by that?

oh, and here is their website:

http://www.lenslet.com/

	14-10-2003 14:38									#4
	Tired of ads?

I am just a bit skeptical.

There were news of quantum computers before, and nothing ever came out of them. So I will believe it when they actually deliever a working model.

	14-10-2003 14:42									#5
	Increase Your PM Length

Optical computer = Quantum computer?

	14-10-2003 14:45									#6
	Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

You know working @ the speed of light etc

	14-10-2003 14:50									#7
	Increase the size of your Attachments

quote: Originally posted by Azazel Optical computer = Quantum computer?

No.

The major major hurdle, AFAIK, working with light signals is you can't amplify it like you can with electrical signals. That means there's no optical equivalent of a transistor.

Of course, I wasn't really following the scene closely.

	14-10-2003 15:01									#8
	Support Apolyton, buy Alpha Centauri

I guess we'll just have to wait, and see, then.

If true, what does that mean? Does it have any influence on the average person?

	14-10-2003 19:01									#9
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An optical computer will be very fast. Probably very large too at this stage.

That's why they want to sell it to the military. So right now, there's not much influence on the average Joe.

	14-10-2003 19:08									#10
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That doesn't look very large.

	14-10-2003 19:14									#11
	Full PM-box? Change here!

No, that doesn't look very large.

Though I reckon a much more immediate use for optics is storage (RAM).

	14-10-2003 19:15									#12
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How would this be done?

	14-10-2003 19:19									#13
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Beats me

I know that RAM is architecturally much simplier than a processor core, though.

	14-10-2003 19:25									#14
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Yeah, that even I know.

	14-10-2003 19:41									#15
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quote: Though I reckon a much more immediate use for optics is storage (RAM).

Holographic memory has been a big bunch of vaporware. It's always one or two years away. This might be true, but we will never know until somebody comes to market with it.

Anyway, unless you have optical memory, you are stuck with low memory bandwidth, which means you can't really use your processor above a normal, primitive state.

	14-10-2003 20:59									#16
	Support Apolyton, buy Alpha Centauri

pfeh. that's nothing.

http://www.wired.com/news/technolog...2,60791,00.html

http://www.clearspeed.com/

how 'bout a plug-in pci card that can massively increase the number of flops your desktop computer can do?

	14-10-2003 21:08									#17
	Remove this text

That sounds like hot air.

For starters, you just aren't going to get enough speed on the PCI bus.

	14-10-2003 21:14									#18
	Got spare money?

pfeh.

the optical processor doesn't quite look kosher either, imho. the board that its on doesn't quite look like it'll plug into anythign around now.

	14-10-2003 21:18									#19
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Heck, you don't see me buying that, do you?

	14-10-2003 21:19									#20
	Put an end to popups!

Maybe it's some sensor that processes morse code via flashlights.

	14-10-2003 21:20									#21
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

We'll just let Asher buy it and see if he likes it

	14-10-2003 21:26									#22
	Put an end to popups!

can it run windows?

	14-10-2003 21:29									#23
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quote: can it run windows?

A processor that can run windows!!!... I doubt it.

	14-10-2003 21:45									#24
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations

quote: Originally posted by Q Cubed pfeh. the optical processor doesn't quite look kosher either, imho. the board that its on doesn't quite look like it'll plug into anythign around now.

That's because it's not designed to be plugged into a PC.

	15-10-2003 05:37									#25
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until i see benchmarks and an actual application, it's as good as vapourware.