Did anybody bother to tell them that heat generated by computers is due to inefficiencies in the computer and that power supply, RAM, CPU and GPU makers are constantly improving on those inefficiencies? I note power supplies are regularly 20 - 25% more efficient than they were just 10 years ago. There are much more efficient ways to produce heat. I really wonder if this is just a joke and ABC and other news outlets didn't just fall for it. If you look at this: this, they are just using "distributive computing" which has been around for decades to search for ET or "folding" to look for cures for cancer. I think all they are doing is looking for a way to NOT have to build an expensive data center.
