Latency: an example of the impact of new technology:

By 1995 we anticipate:

• High-definition television (HDTV) will be introduced.

• Each HDTV will require 1 GB of memory (15 seconds of television).

• This will being an economic revolution that will drive down computer memory prices.

From 1982 to 1989:

• Memory access speed remained about 0.1 micro-second per byte.

• Disk latency/element was at 0.1 second/sample or 100,000 seconds (27 hours) per MB.

• The relative price performance of compute power increased by a factor of 100.

HDTV is a serial application, vs. working with

a volume, like with 3-D seismic surveys.

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