Wikiposts
Search
Computer/Internet Issues & Troubleshooting Anyone with questions about the terribly complex world of computers or the internet should try here. NOT FOR REPORTING ISSUES WITH PPRuNe FORUMS! Please use the subforum "PPRuNe Problems or Queries."

World Community Grid

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 7th Jan 2007, 12:21
  #1 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: No idea.
Posts: 182
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Smile World Community Grid

Hi All,
For those of you who haven't heard of it I thought I'd let you know about the World Community Grid. To quote from the site:
Making a difference has never been easier! Grid technology is simple and safe to use. To start, you download and install a small program or "agent" onto your computer.
When idle, your computer will request data on a specific project from World Community Grid's server. It will then perform computations on this data, send the results back to the server, and ask the server for a new piece of work. Each computation that your computer performs provides scientists with critical information that accelerates the pace of research!
I like the idea that when I'm not using my computer that it's doing something useful with its time. There are nearly 250,000 people and nearly 500,000 computers on the grid running calculations on worthy causes such as combatting Muscular Dystrophy, Cancer, AIDs and more.
For more info on Distributed Computing in general here is a link to a Wikipedia article on the subject.
For more info on the WCG click here.
FireFoxDown is offline  
Old 7th Jan 2007, 20:43
  #2 (permalink)  

Official PPRuNe Chaplain
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Witnesham, Suffolk
Age: 80
Posts: 3,498
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I'd not heard of that one!

For the last 8 years, my computers have been sharing their spare capacity with SETI and then a whole bunch of applications, via BOINC. That has many of the same worthwhile users, and a vast number of people connecting.

It seems BOINC now has competition!
Keef is offline  
Old 7th Jan 2007, 22:30
  #3 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: No idea.
Posts: 182
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Yeah I've heard of Boinc - must do some more investigation of it, I believe it has quite a few worthwhile causes. In my house we often leave the computers on when not in use and I like the idea of turning that idle power into something useful.
Edit: I see you can use Boinc on the World Community Grid here.
FireFoxDown is offline  
Old 8th Jan 2007, 00:07
  #4 (permalink)  

Official PPRuNe Chaplain
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Witnesham, Suffolk
Age: 80
Posts: 3,498
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks! It looks like WCG is the new kid on the block - they don't have a "results" page implemented yet. Good causes, though.

I like BOINC because I can distribute my spare computer capacity round a long list of projects. Then, if one has a glitch, the machines are still busy doing something else.

It works with Linux, too
Keef is offline  
Old 8th Jan 2007, 17:12
  #5 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: No idea.
Posts: 182
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hey Keef,

It sounds interesting - Ill have to look into Boinc. WCG currently has around 5 projects going.

Were you referring to the WCG when you said it doesnt have a results page? Because I believe it does under "My Statistics" or "Device Manager" - I may be talking about something different!

Anyway great to hear you are putting your idle computer time to good use - I hope this thread might encourage others to look into these worthwhile projects!
FireFoxDown is offline  
Old 8th Jan 2007, 17:33
  #6 (permalink)  
Spoon PPRuNerist & Mad Inistrator
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Twickenham, home of rugby
Posts: 7,394
Received 250 Likes on 167 Posts
While I don't think there can be any objection to making computer users aware of these possible uses for their "idle CPU cycles", I would simply point out that allowing the thread to remain here does not in any way imply that PPRuNe endorses these sites, or encourages users to participate in the research.

SD
Saab Dastard is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.