1. A scheduling framework for a heterogeneous computer network comprising: a task performance predictor for estimating an expected time to compute for a computational task submitted to the network for each computer within the network from a matrix of performance characteristics; a performance characteristics database of performance characteristics coupled to the task performance predictor including data objects describing the performance history of each computer within the network and compute characteristics for defining and evaluating compute time functions, network time functions, and floating point time functions; a scheduler coupled to the task performance predictor for assigning the computational task to a computer within the network for executing the computational task in a substantially minimum amount of time; and a controller for fitting the task into a current task queue for scheduling the task to run on the computer assigned.