These computers have been under pressure as smaller desktop machines have become more powerful and better able to handle some computing chores once reserved for mainframes.

More recent versions of virtual machine software make it possible to juggle computing chores across many machines to increase efficiency and reduce costs in corporate data centers.

Then it is up to clever software to distribute the computing chores across the many processors on the computer.

They spend more than Dell on research and development, and they have much larger staffs of service workers to assist corporate customers in tackling complex computing chores.

When the 487SX is installed, it short-circuits the 486SX and takes over all the computing chores.

Sun makes computers that run Unix software, the backbone of many corporate computer networks and a mature operating system with years of use in large-scale computing chores.

Grids lash individual computers together, tapping their unused power to tackle complex computing chores beyond the scope of isolated processors.

It also has a built-in math co-processor chip that speeds any numerical computing chore.

Not all supersize projects are suitable for the distributed approach, and large computing chores like weather simulation do not work well because quick calculations are needed.

Other companies are working on adapting object-based software to handle industrial-strength corporate computing chores.