With the ability to load and manipulate huge amounts of memory synchronously a whole new class of applications is possible. One of the areas this is affecting is storage systems. For example, late yesterday the Register posted a story on Storage Computer's new petabyte clustered NAS based on the Opteron architecture. For run-of-the-mill RAID integrators like this to be putting out what was two years ago strictly big iron is an indication that we are entering a new phase of computing in which the average person will have vast silicon power at their fingertips.

Currently airline reservation mainframe systems occupy entire rooms. Imagine being able to host one on your desktop. Video editing and storage will become trivial. Databases that are now nearly inaccessible will hop onto the web. Instead of having to order CDs to get research data scientists will be able to download it at will. Your doctor won't have to describe an operation, it will be on screen in 3D. Three-dimensional interfaces will become commonplace. Virtual reality games will really turn into virtual reality. When you shift from accessing <2 gigabytes of memory to hundreds of gigabytes these are the possibilities.

I feel inadequate typing away here on a 300 MHz machine with 300M of RAM. I guess it's time to upgrade.