Entropia adopts "grid" computing method

Entropia, a company whose software enables companies to harness the unused computing power of their Windows PCs to conquer large computational problems, has announced it will adopt a standard to allow its software to work on other computers as well. The San Diego-based start-up will incorporate the Globus open-source software design into its own software, the company said Thursday.

Globus, with backing from IBM and a host of academic organizations, is involved in creating a worldwide "grid" of computing and storage resources. Entropia customers include pharmaceutical companies Bristol-Myers Squibb and Novartis.