The NOR type needs to be ultrafast because it is directly connected to the central processing unit of a computer and stores its basic input-output system (the operating system used by the microchip that lies beneath user-interface operating systems, such as Windows).

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To test the system's performance at the configuration stage, the K computer's processing speed was measured by the LINPACK benchmark program, placing it on the 37th TOP500 ranking of the world's fastest supercomputers.

ENGADGET: Fujitsu K supercomputer now ranked fastest in the world, dethrones China's Tianhe-1A

The upgrade on the machine includes a boost to the system bus--the primary pathway between the central processing chip and the computer's memory, from 100 MHz to 133 MHz.

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The other half worked on the back end, crunching computer code to build systems for order-processing, distribution and inventory flow and to integrate a new Web site tracking system with the existing ones.

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