British sell computer to U.S. lab; move by Livermore raises security issue

Article Abstract:

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory buys a $15 million CS-2 supercomputer from Meiko Scientific, the American subsidiary of a UK company, raising concerns about of security, economic competitiveness and nuclear proliferation. The massively parallel computer meets the 50 percent American content requirement for federal purchases, but the sale is nevertheless seen as threatening to the US supercomputer industry, which is already facing stiff competition from Japan. Meiko's UK subsidiary sold two mid-range supercomputers to the Technion, an Israeli University, when US companies were forbidden to bid because the supercomputers could be used for nuclear weapons design. European governments have yet to sign a US-Japanese treaty restricting the sale of supercomputers to other governments.

Regulation, admin. of utilities, Holding companies, not elsewhere classified, Management, Purchasing, Supercomputers, United States. Department of Energy. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Supercomputer, Laboratories, Security, Defense Contract, Massive Parallelism, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Product Acquisition, Meiko World Inc., Meiko Scientific Corp., Meiko Scientific CS-2 (Supercomputer)

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Appliances need genius more than labs do

Article Abstract:

Electronic consumer appliances often seem marvelous in their conception, but even so, they sometimes fail to please or succeed. Such gadgets often end up put away in a closet, forgotten because users do not perceive them as useful. Designers of computers and other electronic gadgets must overcome what Paul Saffo, an industry consultant, describes as the 'threshold of indignation.' Saffo refers to the amount of difficulty a user will tolerate. Consumers' cash and patience is limited. Even though designers create ever-more-brilliant appliances based on powerful computer technology, devices fail in the marketplace.

Economic aspects, Consumer electronics industry, Consumer electronics, Design, Human-computer interaction, Human Factors, User-Friendliness

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