How do I make use of my powerful pc for a good cause??

DoubleTop · 16th March 2005, 09:20

Distributed Computing

Most people hear the term Distributed Computing and will instantly respond, "that's the seti alien thing right ?", well not any more. Due to the massive success of pure amount of processing power users have devoted to Seti have meant that many other projects are arriving. Home users can now use the idle time of the cpu power of your machine to assist in a wide range of projects, either using the platform Boinc which can host multiple projects or a specific application such as D2OL or Protein Folding.

Crunching = Contributing to distributed computing.

Crunching has built many fine forums of communities of people all interested in the same project across all projects. I personally am a moderator and member of Team Phoenix Rising where we have a great community of knowledgable computing people, and those who can always make you laugh

Most team sites develop a statistics league table for those who produce "units" or "score" for the team, and many races and other events happen. TPR also has a Virtual Team set, where you can join a group of people who have the same interests as you, from Team Python (monty python fans) to team VTD (Virtual Team Darts - of which I am captain). I look forward to the day when in TPR we have a Rebreather World team

The most important thing to me about TPR is the ethos that ALL units count, just because you don't match the purchasing power or machine numbers of the larger crunchers do not make you small. You are just as likely to "crunch" the all important unit that breaks new ground with its results.

Distributed computing is running a programme which processes data using your spare CPU cycles. When your machine needs these cycles, the programme backs off so there's little or no hit on your system performance. The projects are mostly run by universities or research establishments who have a lot of data to process and not enough in house power to get it done. The idea is that the CPU cycles your PC doesn't need whilst its on are used in a useful way rather than just being wasted. They also give a good benchmark of your system performance. If you're processing units quicker than others, then you've got a good machine.

These programmes download raw data from a site, process it and then return the results.

Distributed Computing Projects

Here are some of the projects available, that TPR have a team formed in.

Boinc Projects

Process Radio telescope data to search for signals from extra terrestrial intelligence (SETI) http://setiweb.ssl.berkeley.edu/
Process Climate data investigating Global Warming (CPDN) http://climateapps2.oucs.ox.ac.uk/cpdnboinc/
Predict protein structure from protein sequence (Predictor) http://predictor.scripps.edu/
Process allignment data from the Cern particle collider (LHC) http://lhcathome.cern.ch/
Search for spinning neutron stars (pulsars) using data from the LIGO and GEO gravitational wave detectors (Einstein) http://einstein.phys.uwm.edu/

Non-Boinc Projects

Protein folding, protein aggregation, and related diseases (Folding@Home) http://folding.stanford.edu/
D²OL (Drug Design and Optimisation Lab) works to discover drug candidates against potentially devastating infectious diseases http://www.d2ol.com
Process Radio telescope data to search for signals from extra terrestrial intelligence (SETI classic) http://forums.teamphoenixrising.net/showthread.php?t=94 (note due to be turned off in 2005)

The TPR crunchers cafe is exactly that, the "chill" room for crunchers and the place for news reporting to all the crunching teams at TPR. It is where you will find the relevant information for cross project platforms such as an upgrade in the Boinc client, and where you will find all the :Pimps: recruiters bargaining for you to join them in any chosen project.

I'd love to see some cross-over from Rebreather World to TPR, but if RBW wish to startup RBW teams for projects then that's just as good in my opinion. If this post convinces one user to assist on one of the projects above, then I'm happy

DT.

Padowan · 16th March 2005, 09:43

I've crunched my way through nearly 1000 SETI units over time - currently they're "allocated" to another team (the one in 2nd place worldwide in fact) but I'd be happy to move them over to a new cause.....

DoubleTop · 16th March 2005, 12:34

Quote: (Originally Posted by Padowan)

I've crunched my way through nearly 1000 SETI units over time - currently they're "allocated" to another team (the one in 2nd place worldwide in fact)

TPR was formed way back then from a few users who got peeved with Spie on OCUK about the forums, I personally hold no grudge against the darkside

Quote: (Originally Posted by Padowan)

but I'd be happy to move them over to a new cause.....

So have you paused crunching or still going ?? I've got the bug bad, I have ten dedicated crunching machines running diskless nodes using linux in the loft

maybe I should have really gone into pimp mode

Join TPR with your classic Seti units

DT.

Padowan · 16th March 2005, 13:05

Still crunching, on my home PC, churning out about 6/7 units a day, and my work laptop giving me about another 4 (cos it's not on all the time). Should be inheriting a beefy Dual Zeon IBM server soon, reckon that'll do another 10 units a day at least....

I stopped for ages, but now I've got my broadband it's much easier to keep my unit cache full!!

Shall I defect? Hmm will have to think about that one.....

FathomsDown · 16th March 2005, 13:24

I used to run Seti@home on my servers at home but I gave up when I worked out how much extra power keeping the CPU/HDs busy was costing me. I descided that seaching for aliens was less important than saving the planet and my electricity bill.

DoubleTop · 16th March 2005, 13:38

there's a thread over at TPR now about the cost of running - I don't want to know how much I spent on computers in the last few years, although I'm guessing its cheaper than Rebreather diving as a hobby

I primarily crunch the Climate Prediction project and many a time have wondered about the effect I am having on the climate by running machines dedicated to the project. I think the project is aimed really at providing sufficient data to make the big producers, such as the US and the rapidly catching China (see link here on coal mining) to look at the global effects of local/country economy decisions.

One day I'll get the device from Maplin that lets you monitor the leccy from a plug socket to see how much its using, but I think that would scare me too much

DT.

DoubleTop · 9th May 2005, 19:00

keeping on topic with cost of running - I've just written a guide on how to use "diskless" nodes for those who really catch the bug with "crunching" - like me

http://forums.teamphoenixrising.net/...ad.php?t=31981

really nice to not have to pay to compete with those on number, there is another thread at the moment about how a "node" that operates just like a full pc can cost as little as £90 inv vat and delivery.

DT.

DoubleTop · 2nd November 2005, 13:02

I thought I'd drop by into this thread as a little bump to all those new members who may not have seen this thread.

There has been a lot of advancements and new projects added to the Boinc system since my original post. The D2OL project seems to be ramping up a gear as well, I like that one at the moment alongside Folding@Home.

So in true pimp mode - if anyone is interested PM on here or come find me over at http://forums.teamphoenixrising.net

I've not been here as much since becoming admin of TPR - where's my pacman !!!

DT.

16th March 2005, 09:20	#1 (permalink)
DoubleTop Rebreather World Greeter and How do I? Moderator Current Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Other Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Reading, Berks, UK Posts: 145	How do I make use of my powerful pc for a good cause?? Distributed Computing Most people hear the term Distributed Computing and will instantly respond, "that's the seti alien thing right ?", well not any more. Due to the massive success of pure amount of processing power users have devoted to Seti have meant that many other projects are arriving. Home users can now use the idle time of the cpu power of your machine to assist in a wide range of projects, either using the platform Boinc which can host multiple projects or a specific application such as D2OL or Protein Folding. Crunching = Contributing to distributed computing. Crunching has built many fine forums of communities of people all interested in the same project across all projects. I personally am a moderator and member of Team Phoenix Rising where we have a great community of knowledgable computing people, and those who can always make you laugh Most team sites develop a statistics league table for those who produce "units" or "score" for the team, and many races and other events happen. TPR also has a Virtual Team set, where you can join a group of people who have the same interests as you, from Team Python (monty python fans) to team VTD (Virtual Team Darts - of which I am captain). I look forward to the day when in TPR we have a Rebreather World team The most important thing to me about TPR is the ethos that ALL units count, just because you don't match the purchasing power or machine numbers of the larger crunchers do not make you small. You are just as likely to "crunch" the all important unit that breaks new ground with its results. Distributed computing is running a programme which processes data using your spare CPU cycles. When your machine needs these cycles, the programme backs off so there's little or no hit on your system performance. The projects are mostly run by universities or research establishments who have a lot of data to process and not enough in house power to get it done. The idea is that the CPU cycles your PC doesn't need whilst its on are used in a useful way rather than just being wasted. They also give a good benchmark of your system performance. If you're processing units quicker than others, then you've got a good machine. These programmes download raw data from a site, process it and then return the results. Distributed Computing Projects Here are some of the projects available, that TPR have a team formed in. Boinc Projects Process Radio telescope data to search for signals from extra terrestrial intelligence (SETI) http://setiweb.ssl.berkeley.edu/ Process Climate data investigating Global Warming (CPDN) http://climateapps2.oucs.ox.ac.uk/cpdnboinc/ Predict protein structure from protein sequence (Predictor) http://predictor.scripps.edu/ Process allignment data from the Cern particle collider (LHC) http://lhcathome.cern.ch/ Search for spinning neutron stars (pulsars) using data from the LIGO and GEO gravitational wave detectors (Einstein) http://einstein.phys.uwm.edu/ Non-Boinc Projects Protein folding, protein aggregation, and related diseases (Folding@Home) http://folding.stanford.edu/ D²OL (Drug Design and Optimisation Lab) works to discover drug candidates against potentially devastating infectious diseases http://www.d2ol.com Process Radio telescope data to search for signals from extra terrestrial intelligence (SETI classic) http://forums.teamphoenixrising.net/showthread.php?t=94 (note due to be turned off in 2005) The TPR crunchers cafe is exactly that, the "chill" room for crunchers and the place for news reporting to all the crunching teams at TPR. It is where you will find the relevant information for cross project platforms such as an upgrade in the Boinc client, and where you will find all the :Pimps: recruiters bargaining for you to join them in any chosen project. I'd love to see some cross-over from Rebreather World to TPR, but if RBW wish to startup RBW teams for projects then that's just as good in my opinion. If this post convinces one user to assist on one of the projects above, then I'm happy DT.
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16th March 2005, 09:43	#2 (permalink)
Padowan Proper Boffin Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Kent, UK. Posts: 501	I've crunched my way through nearly 1000 SETI units over time - currently they're "allocated" to another team (the one in 2nd place worldwide in fact) but I'd be happy to move them over to a new cause..... __________________ Padowan The future's bright, the future's Yellow .....for now padowan.net - Latest Video: Scapa Flow Rebreather Diving
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16th March 2005, 12:34	#3 (permalink)
DoubleTop Rebreather World Greeter and How do I? Moderator Current Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Other Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Reading, Berks, UK Posts: 145	Quote: (Originally Posted by Padowan) I've crunched my way through nearly 1000 SETI units over time - currently they're "allocated" to another team (the one in 2nd place worldwide in fact) TPR was formed way back then from a few users who got peeved with Spie on OCUK about the forums, I personally hold no grudge against the darkside Quote: (Originally Posted by Padowan) but I'd be happy to move them over to a new cause..... So have you paused crunching or still going ?? I've got the bug bad, I have ten dedicated crunching machines running diskless nodes using linux in the loft maybe I should have really gone into pimp mode Join TPR with your classic Seti units DT.
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16th March 2005, 13:05	#4 (permalink)
Padowan Proper Boffin Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Kent, UK. Posts: 501	Still crunching, on my home PC, churning out about 6/7 units a day, and my work laptop giving me about another 4 (cos it's not on all the time). Should be inheriting a beefy Dual Zeon IBM server soon, reckon that'll do another 10 units a day at least.... I stopped for ages, but now I've got my broadband it's much easier to keep my unit cache full!! Shall I defect? Hmm will have to think about that one..... __________________ Padowan The future's bright, the future's Yellow .....for now padowan.net - Latest Video: Scapa Flow Rebreather Diving
(Offline)

16th March 2005, 13:24	#5 (permalink)
FathomsDown New Member Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Vision Other Rebreather/s: Inspiration Vision Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: London Posts: 76	I used to run Seti@home on my servers at home but I gave up when I worked out how much extra power keeping the CPU/HDs busy was costing me. I descided that seaching for aliens was less important than saving the planet and my electricity bill. __________________ Dive deep, stay long, deco for friggin' ages.
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16th March 2005, 13:38	#6 (permalink)
DoubleTop Rebreather World Greeter and How do I? Moderator Current Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Other Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Reading, Berks, UK Posts: 145	there's a thread over at TPR now about the cost of running - I don't want to know how much I spent on computers in the last few years, although I'm guessing its cheaper than Rebreather diving as a hobby I primarily crunch the Climate Prediction project and many a time have wondered about the effect I am having on the climate by running machines dedicated to the project. I think the project is aimed really at providing sufficient data to make the big producers, such as the US and the rapidly catching China (see link here on coal mining) to look at the global effects of local/country economy decisions. One day I'll get the device from Maplin that lets you monitor the leccy from a plug socket to see how much its using, but I think that would scare me too much DT.
(Offline)

9th May 2005, 19:00	#7 (permalink)
DoubleTop Rebreather World Greeter and How do I? Moderator Current Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Other Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Reading, Berks, UK Posts: 145	keeping on topic with cost of running - I've just written a guide on how to use "diskless" nodes for those who really catch the bug with "crunching" - like me http://forums.teamphoenixrising.net/...ad.php?t=31981 really nice to not have to pay to compete with those on number, there is another thread at the moment about how a "node" that operates just like a full pc can cost as little as £90 inv vat and delivery. DT.
(Offline)

2nd November 2005, 13:02	#8 (permalink)
DoubleTop Rebreather World Greeter and How do I? Moderator Current Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Other Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Reading, Berks, UK Posts: 145	Re: How do I make use of my powerful pc for a good cause?? I thought I'd drop by into this thread as a little bump to all those new members who may not have seen this thread. There has been a lot of advancements and new projects added to the Boinc system since my original post. The D2OL project seems to be ramping up a gear as well, I like that one at the moment alongside Folding@Home. So in true pimp mode - if anyone is interested PM on here or come find me over at http://forums.teamphoenixrising.net I've not been here as much since becoming admin of TPR - where's my pacman !!! DT.
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