computing
2d Art
Creating two dimensional artwork with a computer is far easier to get started in than three dimensional art for several reasons. First, far less computational power is required, second, the tools are more mature and intuative, and 3rd, its a lot easier to sit down and draw something than to create an elaborate 3d model.
Distributed Computing / Cluster Computing
While not all problems lend themselves to a solution generated by thousands of idle computers connected to a network there plenty of numbers that need to be crunched. Even seemingly small tasks (like rendering frames of computer graphics used in an important documentary film) can benefit from distributed computing. We don't all have access to a render farm.
Types of Clustering / Distrobuton Solutions
Parallel Clusters
Beowulf Cluster
Beowulf is a design for high performance parallel computer clusters on inexpensive PC's. Originally developed at NASA Beowulf systems are in worldwide use. This is especially true for scientific research.
Beowulf clusters are usually identical PC's running an open source OS such as BSD. They are networked together with TCP/IP and have libraries and apps installed which allow processing to be shared. There is no particular piece of software that defines a Beowulf. Common libraries are MPI (Message Passing Interface) and PVM (Parallel Virtual Machine). Both libraries permit a programmer to divide a task among a group of networked computers and collect results.
Computing
Computing skills are essential to accomplishing almost anything in our Internet-centric age.