Sorry, but I just discovered the neatest damn toy.

distcc

With this tool, I can make every Linux computer in the house collectively compile source code for one machine.

I'm compiling MAME right now, and the machine coordinating the compile is barely working.

distributed computing is awesome stuff.

Indeed....

I wish all things in the house worked like that:

"Having trouble cleaning your house? Make your coffee table get off it's fat ass and help!"

I think I remember reading somewhere that the PS3 will have Folding-at-home built into it. So that when it's sitting idle (i.e. you aren't using it) it will fold proteins with all the other folding-at-home-ers.

Pretty cool stuff.

EDIT:
Ah yes....here's something about it at Engadget.

ahh yes. the wonderful thing about having oodles of computers - sharing the load of insane processes.

distmp3 is a good thing to look into, as well, if you find yourself encoding a gazillion mp3s and oggs