With the current vogue towards having open sided computer cases with lights that show up the motherboard etc, why not have a fish tank on one or more sides that doubles as a cooling system for the CPU. Link the CPU heatsink to the fish tank with pipes with double benefit; keeps fish warm and CPU cool.
It would mean running computer 24/7 but it could make good use of idle time running one of the many research programs that make use of idle CPU cycles.
Might need a temperature regulator to stop fish overheating. This might work if CPU slows a little when temperature goes above a preset limit.
I suggest that this idea is worth a few c's if only to feed the fish.-- mate, Mar 12 2004 Someone's already done it http://www.overclockers.com/tips948/See pics [Mr Burns, Oct 04 2004] Fishtank Computer thingy http://www.act.net.nz/tank.htmA case with a small fishtank built in. COOL!!! [whatastrangeperson, Oct 04 2004] [mate] ... usb powered aerator for the water? Ah and welcome to the halfbakery.-- jonthegeologist, Mar 12 2004 Motherboard-in-a-bottle? I like it.-- dpsyplc, Mar 12 2004 Interesting, [Rods]. Mice are more easily trainable though, and training mice to follow routes around mazes and press buttons to open doors or get rewards is conceptually closer to digital circuitry. I can imagine how it would only take a couple of well-trained mice to simulate a NAND gate for example. A half-adder or an adder (no snake puns please) built entirely out of mice and mazes would be a beautiful thing.-- hippo, Mar 12 2004 "no snake puns please." Come on! Well, with snake puns, when they say 'no' you know they really mean 'yes...'
So Noah loaded up all the animals, two by two, in his arc, and then the flood came, along with all that stuff you must've heard about. Finally, when the waters subsided, he landed the boat on a beach, and let the animals out. He proclaimed "Go forth and multiply!" and promptly went back inside, (perhaps to provide a good role model). So, the next morning, he got out, and, sure enough, most of the animals were nowhere to be seen, presumably enjoying themselves as he had commanded. But there were these two rather forlorn-looking snakes just lying on the beach, who weren't doing anything. Concerned, Noah went over to them and asked if there was anything he could do. "Yes, actually," one of them replied; "could you cut down some trees?" Now, Noah was confused, but figured he wouldn't question whatever they were into. So he chopped them down, and then went on his way. Now, a week went by, and that one incident was replaying itself over and over in Noah's head, and he was finally decided that he REALLY wanted to know. So he went over to where the snakes lived, and asked, "Remember a week ago, when you asked me to cut down those trees? Mind if I ask why?" Now, the snakes start laughing, and Noah gets even more confused. But finally, they answer: "You see, Noah," they say; "we're adders. We need logs to multiply."-- TerranFury, Mar 12 2004 //Might need a temperature regulator to stop fish overheating. This might work if CPU slows a little when temperature goes above a preset limit.//
I wouldn't bother with slowing down your processor - have the temperature regulator switch the water flow from going into the tank to going into a waterfall.-- Worldgineer, Mar 12 2004 computer landscaping-- krod, Mar 12 2004 It's been done, i'll try to find the link.-- whatastrangeperson, Mar 14 2004 = Many neglected fish. Hate it. Reminds me of those miniminimini tanks that were so popular until being banned. Anything that treats fish as a purely decorative, optional item gets a neglected, dead fish from me. <blows rasberry- ththththtphphph>-- squeak, Mar 15 2004 random, halfbakery