Folding@Home

Rawhide · 08-11-2007, 10:03 PM

Thanks to a prompt from StickMan, I have created a Giant in the Playground team for Folding@Home!

For those who don't know what Folding@Home is, here is a brief run-down:
In a nut shell, it is a distributed computing project working towards scientific research to prevent and cure disease. Basically, the researchers need a big giant computer to do some very complex mathematical calculations. That of course costs a lot of money, money they don't have as they are a non-profit organisation and all research will be published freely for everyone. So, instead, they organise thousands of people to have their personal computers run small fractions of the calculations in the computer's spare time, when it wouldn't be doing anything anyway.

A big shout out to marcus who was the first GitP folder to complete a work unit!

In order to begin folding for the Giant in the Playground team, all you need to do is download and install the client, set up your username, and enter the Giant in the Playground team ID of 82447.

Links
Find out more about Folding@Home (homepage)
Results Folding@Home has already had
Download Folding@Home
The Giant in the Playground team page (team 82447)

Team information
Team Name: Giant in the Playground
Team ID: 82447
Team Page: http://fah-web.stanford.edu/cgi-bin/...&teamnum=82447

Lucky · 08-11-2007, 10:47 PM

Wow, these work units aren't small things... Says my first unit will be finished in 104 days...

Well, it's a good cause, so I can hope for some Karma Points.

Khaldan · 08-11-2007, 11:17 PM

You might want to check once you finish your first frame lucky. My WU time just went from 10 days to just under 3

Exachix · 08-12-2007, 04:05 AM

I think I'll join this.

I was going to do the SETI one... but this one's being tracked =D.

Castaras · 08-12-2007, 04:47 AM

I used to do the SETI one...Had the screensaver for it on the old computer, back when we had a windows 98 machine, I think...

*Goes to sign up and download*

Akaziel · 08-12-2007, 04:48 AM

I'm doing this as well.

Haven't heard of the SETI one, though.

adanedhel9 · 08-12-2007, 09:56 AM

I'm signed up.

I've been doing SETI@home for years, but I've grown a bit weary with it. Lately it's seemed more of a pipe dream than anything as concrete as Folding@home. This team was all that was necessary to get me to switch.

I've got 3 computers for sure working on the team. I should have a forth, but my Slack box is currently acting up.

Pyro · 08-12-2007, 09:58 AM

This will be awesome. Once I get my computer back from repairs I'll download this and make a shirt that says "My computer: Saving the world one math equation at a time"

Of course there will also be the lives it saves...

Arang · 08-12-2007, 10:16 AM

It's useful and nerdy. I like it.

Saithis Bladewing · 08-12-2007, 11:23 AM

Count me and my awesomeness in.

Were-Sandwich · 08-12-2007, 01:35 PM

I would do this, but my dad is paranoid about anything that might just possibly slow the Pc down a tiny bit.

Lilly · 08-12-2007, 04:41 PM

Couple of things I figured out:
-You won't show up on the list of active computers until you've finished a work unit.
-It's far too fun to watch, espically when you have access to biochemistry text books to identify the amino acids and try to reverse engineer the DNA sequence. So far things of note- I saw a S and a phenol group. I bet ball and stick would be easier...

Khaldan · 08-12-2007, 04:54 PM

Dang, its gonna be another 2 days before i get on the list then, and thats assuming i dont run anything dir the 2 days. And the pictures that come up are always half-offscreen. Anyone know how to fix that?

Nomrom · 08-12-2007, 08:19 PM

I'm in on this. I've set up my laptop, and my family's computer. It will still be two days before I finish anything though. I have a problem with my laptop. It says it's working, but i don't get any of the cool folding images I get on the other computer. Anyone know what might be wrong?

StickMan · 08-12-2007, 10:14 PM

I love it when I suggest something that people get excited over. Good for stickman.

Now if only there forum worked so I could figure out what Core error means.... and get the program working

Surfer99 · 08-13-2007, 06:01 AM

What a neat idea, i will join your team sometime tomorrow or the day after just need to get a few boxes moved around.

Dihan · 08-13-2007, 06:06 AM

I've joined.

Archonic Energy · 08-13-2007, 06:44 AM

i'm in...
*starts setting work PCs up*

Dihan · 08-13-2007, 06:52 AM

I'll find a way to get the computers in school on it

Gygaxphobia · 08-13-2007, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adanedhel9

I've been doing SETI@home for years, but I've grown a bit weary with it. Lately it's seemed more of a pipe dream than anything as concrete as Folding@home.

Um, there is an awful lot out there to process, and more being made all the time. I mean what did you expect? Aliens? Sheesh.
SETI is a fantastic project, literally. It might not have the same direct practical applications as many other (cheaper, terrestrial) projects but it's at least as important.

adanedhel9 · 08-13-2007, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gygaxphobia

Um, there is an awful lot out there to process, and more being made all the time. I mean what did you expect? Aliens? Sheesh.
SETI is a fantastic project, literally. It might not have the same direct practical applications as many other (cheaper, terrestrial) projects but it's at least as important.

Maybe I overstated myself with "pipe dream". I still think SETI is a good project, and I'll probably evenutally return my computing resources to it. But at the moment, I think folding@home deserves all the power it can get.

Oh, and, at least in the short term, I've only got 2 computers on this, not 4. My slackbox has a long-standing issue where it locks up under certain kinds of load (folding@home providing that kind of load). I think my laptop is a similar boat, though instead of locking up, it shuts down entirely.

potatocubed · 08-14-2007, 12:24 PM

I've been running F@H for months, but I joined up with the GitP team today.

I've noticed it can crash my computer when I'm trying to do something that takes up a lot of system resources and it decides 'hey, now is a good time to upload my progress!' but that's very rare.

Xerillum · 08-14-2007, 01:17 PM

It can never hurt to gain some strategic karma.

Zargon · 08-14-2007, 07:15 PM

Great news! A Oots/GiTP folding team!
I'm in! :)
(and should be on the stats board in the next few hours)
I've participated with F@H before, so I should be able to answer many questions, and will try to help where I can.

Vespe Ratavo · 08-15-2007, 07:35 AM

I joined. Hooray and such.

Exachix · 08-17-2007, 07:09 AM

*sigh*

I'm still on my first Folding.. and it's taking ages...

V Junior · 08-17-2007, 08:13 AM

I would help, but computer A is too slow and computer B is broken.

Bitzeralisis · 08-17-2007, 10:39 PM

Ooh, anything that's for the good of science and requires that I just install something and keep my computer on I'll do. Because it doesn't deal with work. Well, at least not work for me.

We should all list how long it takes for your computer to compute an entire Work Unit. This way we can compare computer speeds. My current WU is 9 hours.

Saithis Bladewing · 08-18-2007, 05:46 AM

I had to uninstall this, unfortunately. 95% of times I ran it it just crashed windows and the one time it did it predicted 500 or so years to do one freaking work unit.

Rawhide · 08-18-2007, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saithis Bladewing

I had to uninstall this, unfortunately. 95% of times I ran it it just crashed windows and the one time it did it predicted 500 or so years to do one freaking work unit.

I'm sorry to hear about the crashing. Perhaps someone who has used it a lot might be able to help you with that? As for 500 years... well, apparently it is inaccurate at first but drops down after the first frame.