user29960: I've done a minor amount of research into the topic of bitcoin mining using ASICs and FPGAs, and I've started wondering:
Could these be used as GPUs (possibly specialized to a subset of what modern GPUs are capable of)?  If they're so much faster than GPUs, what is preventing them from being adopted as a GPU replacement?  Is it just that they are specialized hardware and simply can't perform all the tasks a modern GPU can?
And as a quick side-question: Do password crackers use these as well?  If not, why?

user5292: No. ASICs are Application Specific, so they can't do anything else. Not password cracking either.
You can use them as an electric heater.

29960: <p>I've done a minor amount of research into the topic of bitcoin mining using ASICs and FPGAs, and I've started wondering:</p>

<p>Could these be used as GPUs (possibly specialized to a subset of what modern GPUs are capable of)?  If they're so much faster than GPUs, what is preventing them from being adopted as a GPU replacement?  Is it just that they are specialized hardware and simply can't perform all the tasks a modern GPU can?</p>

<p>And as a quick side-question: Do password crackers use these as well?  If not, why?</p>
 5292: <p>No. ASICs are Application Specific, so they can't do anything else. Not password cracking either.</p>

<p>You can use them as an electric heater.</p>
