The NECloud includes the BalticCloud (and hence the BGi) members, and adds Sweden, Norway and Denmark. To start with.

In addition the NECloud is collaborating with UK (NGS) and NL (SARA).

This gives us more input to how to leverage on clouds, more momentum when talking to e.g. vendors, and simply a bigger market for the BGi.

Dan Reed on the ManyCore Future and Parallelism in the Sky

Interesting interview, not only for the topic itself, but also when listening to Dan’s reflections on the creation of Mosaic (he was a director at NCSA when it all happened).

Basic message: to anyone familiar with ftp and tcp/ip, the need for a browser wasn’t that clear – i.e. sometimes when you’re too deep into the details you don’t see what ordinary people – a k a customers – really need.

Maybe something to think about that when preparing technology based startups.

Kai-Fu Lee, who led Google’s China operations until last week, is launching a new early-stage investment fund and startup incubator based in Beijing called Innovation Works.

Lee says Innovation Works’ approach will be highly tailored for the Chinese market. It will have more hands-on mentoring, build projects in-house and then spin them out for larger rounds of funding later. The idea is to find young, hungry engineers in Beijing’s top universities, hire them, give them the room to experiment with ideas and then help them grow their projects later.