95% of the 500 Fastest Supercomputers Run Linux

[Sasquatch43]

So i found a wikipedia article that says:

"  as of June 2013, more than 95% of the world's 500 fastest supercomputers run some variant of Linux, including all the 44 fastest Linux also runs on embedded systems(devices where the operating system is typically built into the firmware and highly tailored to the system) such as mobile phones,tablet computers, network routers, building automation controls, televisions and video game consoles; the Android system in wide use on mobile devices is built on the Linux kernel."

 

 

Link to the Article:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux#Market_share_and_uptake

 

I found it really interesting that almost all of the fastest computers in the world use a variant of Linux. I was also wondering is this just because it is free or is companies that use linux to make their own OS which then causes them to have faster computers.

 

Thoughts?

 

Also sorry if this has already benn posted. I searched for it but didn't find anything.

[AlwaysFSX]

It's probably because Linux is extremely flexible for what they're trying to do.

[Saladin]

Because Linux is light weight and open source, if you are building a super computer you need to have a lot of custom OS/Software implementations/features. This makes it easier to work with than something like a Windows platform. Linux here is essentially a base model which is heavily modified (which is the strength of Linux).

[Sasquatch43]

It's probably because Linux is extremely flexible for what they're trying to do.

I was looking into another article that said they optimize the Linux OS in each computer specifically to the hardware in them.

[Hans Christian | Teri]

I was looking into another article that said they optimize the Linux OS in each computer specifically to the hardware in them.

 

I'm fairly sure that was what he meant. And honestly this should come as no surprise to anyone who knows anything about computers.

[Imaginaerum]

I'm surprised it's not 100%, but there are other options

[mr moose]

I thought the Chinese had a the fastest super computer and it run their own private OS? 

 

http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/computers/china-builds-worlds-fastest-supercomputer-20130618-2of1z.html

[qwertywarrior]

WHAT ??

i thought they all ran windows 95

 

thanks for the heads up

[Lyons]

Duh, the only market Linux/UNIX based OS's ISN'T dominant is the desktop market.

 

I thought the Chinese had a the fastest super computer and it run their own private OS? 

 

http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/computers/china-builds-worlds-fastest-supercomputer-20130618-2of1z.html

That's just one, and it's OS is almost certainly a derivation of Linux.

This is an interesting one:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Star_OS

[Sidiox]

Windows can't utilize all the cores very good and if I recall correctly it has a 192 core restriction and supercomputers need more. Also you can create much more custom software for Linux for mathmatical algorithems and such

[ygohome]

There are probably alot of reasons supercomputers choose linux.

 

Linux has a pretty high limits

 

It also allows for hotswapping CPUs and memory

[jrfox87]

Not very surprising, they can build their own custom version of Linux tuned for the specific hardware in the machine.

[Exotath]

This is news? :lol:

[mr moose]

Duh, the only market Linux/UNIX based OS's ISN'T dominant is the desktop market.

 

That's just one, and it's OS is almost certainly a derivation of Linux.

This is an interesting one:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Star_OS

That's my point, the article says ALL of the top 44 are Linux derivatives,  So is the Chinese their own or a derivative?

 

So in north korea if you are lucky enough to have a computer you can also have this heavily modified OS to monitor and control your web experience.

[mymouthandi]

I'm surprised (if true of course) that it's only 95% that run Linux. Windows is a terrible OS for high performance computing. 

[Lyons]

That's my point, the article says ALL of the top 44 are Linux derivatives, So is the Chinese their own or a derivative?

So in north korea if you are lucky enough to have a computer you can also have this heavily modified OS to monitor and control your web experience.

I would say definitely. 'Linux' is a kernel, not an operating system, so there are hundreds of different OS's that use the Linux kernel that are in turn themselves classified and referred to as Linux.

Also yay for communism...

[James_AJ]

I have a better question: what the hell does the other 5% run? DOS?

[sysloc]

Windows Server maybe?

[EpicGeekonFire]

So i found a wikipedia article that says:

 

Link to the Article:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux#Market_share_and_uptake

 

I found it really interesting that almost all of the fastest computers in the world use a variant of Linux. I was also wondering is this just because it is free or is companies that use linux to make their own OS which then causes them to have faster computers.

 

Thoughts?

 

Also sorry if this has already benn posted. I searched for it but didn't find anything.

They must know that Windows is not the fastest or most optimized OS for speed Or anything for that matter... 

[EpicGeekonFire]

I have a better question: what the hell does the other 5% run? DOS?

Mac Of Course!