Once a million dollar vector-parallel supercomputer for research projects at the Australian National University, this Fujitsu VPP300 (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3405888342) is now being auctioned off at eBay.

Although eclipsed by technology advances, the Jurgen Klinsmann (http://home.wanadoo.nl/neroazzurri/legends/klinsman.htm) (or perhaps Merv Hughes (http://www.cricket.org/link_to_database/players/aus/h/hughes_mg_02001792)) of supercomputers can still boast impressive performance stat or two.

With 13 143MHz vector processors, a fast crossbar interconnect and 14GB of RAM, the four-cabinet machine boasts peak performance taps of 28.6 Gflops. Back in 1996, when the supercomputer was installed at Australia's National University (http://primepower.fujitsu.com/hpc/en/topics/user-e/anu-e.html) it was the dog's bollocks (http://www.top500.org/ORSC/1996/node31.html). Now the ANU's Fujitsu VPP300 is being put out to pasture by that most modern of routes, an auction on eBay (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3405888342) .

Reg Reader Ole Nielsen, who brought this auction to our attention, notes: "The only catch is its mass and electricity consumption. But if you can fit it in your room it'd make your geek-friends green with envy."

Indeed. Who could resist the potential to boost yourSeti@Home (http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu) ranking or turn the computer into the ultimate Web/Doom server? All you need (failing access to a disused nuclear bunker) is a spare garage and a cunning plan to transport the mega-machine.

Bids are invited, but hurry: the auction closes on March 17. So far the only bid received is for one measly Aussie dollar. This hardly fitting for the swan song of such a powerful machine. ®