daemon@ig.UUCP (12/01/87)
From: Sunil Maulik <MAULIK@BIONET-20.ARPA> Computers and the Sequencing of Large Genomes Searching the database is not, however, a problem really suited to von Neumann machines. At present the use of so-called 'fine-grained' general purpose parallel processor machines such as the Transputer (UK) or Connection Machine (US) appear to be best suited to such problems not only because of their very high speed in dealing with problems that can be posed appropriately but because of their flexibility and cheapness. Adapting programmes such as FASTN or FASTP if optimum efficiency isn't an initial necessity, would be an almost trivial problem for the Connection Machine, a somewhat more troublesome exercise for the Transputer. In addition the modularity of such machines allows them to be built in virtually any size. Moreover, the fact that these fine grained instruments are near first generation commercial efforts and are deliberately designed using non-exotic components clearly indicates that the aspects of simple searches and data storage can be dealt with quite easily. -------