Newsgroups: sci.math.num-analysis,sci.math,comp.parallel
From: andrew@rentec.com (Andrew Mullhaupt)
Subject: Re: Large-scale optimization in small business
Organization: Renaissance Technologies Corp.
Date: Wed, 8 Feb 1995 13:52:40 GMT
Message-ID: <3h5r5j$6sc@puma.rentec.com>

Ernest E. Rothman (erothman@CS.Cornell.EDU) wrote:
: Does anyone know of references to or have experience with "large-scale 
: optimization and simulation in small businesses".  

Sure. I work for a 'small business' (<40 employees) and we do tons of
large scale optimization and simulation.

: Are we dealing with a contradiction in terms or can a small business 
: employ "large-scale" optimization and simulation (presumably modeling 
: a segment of the economy)?  

We do _financial_ work. Not economics. Why do you suppose that large
scale optimization and simulation would be economic? I would be just
as willing to believe that it would be CFD, or perhaps VLSI, etc...

: I would be particularly interested to know of references or experiences 
: in which small business have benefitted from use the use of parallel 
: computers and projects that have been introduced at the undergraduate 
: level. 

We use SparcCenters to very good effect because of their SMP. Almost nothing
we do could be done at the undergraduate (CS) level. Some of what we do 
could in principle be done at the undergraduate (Math/Statistics) level.
I can't go into specifics.

Later,
Andrew Mullhaupt


