Simple peer to peer network?

[John Floren]

On Jan 30, 2008 8:59 AM, Jim Leonard <trixter at oldskool.org> wrote:
> Eric J Korpela wrote:
> > The easiest is a ring with packet forwardings.  Each machine has its
> > output connected to one machine and its input connected to another.
> > This is probably the simplest hardware wise and software wise.  It's
> > also the slowest. When a packet comes in, its destination address is
> > checked against the current machines address.  If it doesn't match, it
> > is forwarded to the next machine.  No collision detection is
> > necessary.  One potential problem is that a packet with a bad address
> > can circulate forever unless you have a way of detecting it.
>
> This is pretty much the only feasible solution IMO.
>
> You have to ask yourself, "What is a cluster of C64 machines going to
> do?"  If it's a cluster, probably something like heavy lifting
> (raytracing, calculating something, etc.).  So latency isn't really an
> issue because you don't need speed, just communication/synchronization
> between machines.
>
> What *is* this cluster going to do, anyway?
>

You know, I forgot to say this earlier... but make sure to put this on
Slashdot when you get it working, it's the perfect /. story :) Just
don't host the site on a C64.
Imagine a Beowulf cluster of those... pouring hot grits down the C64's
pants... in Soviet Russia, C64's cluster YOU!


John
-- 
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn