Discussion Questions

``The use of National Information Infrastructure
and High Performance Computers in Industry''

G. Fox and W. Furmanski

1. What role do the authors see for ``traditional'' massively parallel computers in the NII?

2. What role do the authors see for ``traditional'' operating systems in the NII?

3. What are some of the ways the Web itself will have to change or evolve to realize the authors' vision?

4. The authors apparently like the prefix ``Web.'' Try to understand what they mean by these terms: WebTools, WebWork, WebHPL, WebFlow WebScript, WebSpace.

5. Describe the WebWindows idea. What makes this approach attractive, in the authors' view?

6. Of the applications and scenarios described in Sections 4.2 and 4.3, which one(s) do you think are the most likely to happen soon. Which are most likely to affect your life?

7. Can you think of other important applications where the services described in Section 4.1 would make a big difference?