Fifty Years of Computing

mrerick · 10-08-2016, 10:06 AM

While this is completely unrelated to firearms, I thought I'd share a bit about a charity I have participated in since 2004.

The "World Community Grid" is a voluntary computing project (supported by sponsorship by IBM, the Berkeley Computing Lab and others) that provides free supercomputer class processing to a variety of research projects targeting cures for Cancer, Aids, and a number of other diseases.

You load an application called BOINC onto your Windows, Linux, or Mac computer or your Android phone or tablet. It can be configured to only activate when your machine has been idle for a period of time, and then only use a percentage of processor power.

The BOINC system downloads small discrete computing tasks and then processes them while the machine would normally be idle. When the work unit is complete, the results are sent back to the research project and the next one is started.

By using this distributed computing world network of donated computing time, breakthroughs in gene sequencing and the identification of specific cancer markers have been delivered in record time.

Take a look at the project, and consider signing up. As of this month, I have accumulated the donation of over 50 years of computer processing time!!!!!

IBM World Community Grid

Marc

mauro · 10-08-2016, 10:18 AM

Very interesting.
Thanks.
Mauro

tudorbug · 10-09-2016, 02:31 PM

Good idea, for sure! I've been running climate predication models and SETI for a goodly number of years, perhaps 15 or 20, under BOINC. Makes me feel I'm doing something good for the world when I go to bed a night while my computer munches steadily along.

David

10-08-2016, 10:06 AM	#1
mrerick Super Moderator - Patron LugerForum Life Patron Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Eastern North Carolina, USA Posts: 3,907 Thanks: 1,374 Thanked 3,108 Times in 1,509 Posts	Fifty Years of Computing While this is completely unrelated to firearms, I thought I'd share a bit about a charity I have participated in since 2004. The "World Community Grid" is a voluntary computing project (supported by sponsorship by IBM, the Berkeley Computing Lab and others) that provides free supercomputer class processing to a variety of research projects targeting cures for Cancer, Aids, and a number of other diseases. You load an application called BOINC onto your Windows, Linux, or Mac computer or your Android phone or tablet. It can be configured to only activate when your machine has been idle for a period of time, and then only use a percentage of processor power. The BOINC system downloads small discrete computing tasks and then processes them while the machine would normally be idle. When the work unit is complete, the results are sent back to the research project and the next one is started. By using this distributed computing world network of donated computing time, breakthroughs in gene sequencing and the identification of specific cancer markers have been delivered in record time. Take a look at the project, and consider signing up. As of this month, I have accumulated the donation of over 50 years of computer processing time!!!!! IBM World Community Grid Marc __________________ Igitur si vis pacem, para bellum - - Therefore if you want peace, prepare for war.

10-08-2016, 10:18 AM	#2
mauro FIREARM HISTORIAN AND AUT Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Belgium Posts: 1,535 Thanks: 106 Thanked 349 Times in 129 Posts	Very interesting. Thanks. Mauro __________________ Mauro Baudino - www.lugerlp08.com www.paul-mauser-archive.com Mauser Company and Firearm Historian - Mauser Parabellum Certification Service.

10-09-2016, 02:31 PM	#3
tudorbug Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Georgia Posts: 387 Thanks: 0 Thanked 40 Times in 29 Posts	Good idea, for sure! I've been running climate predication models and SETI for a goodly number of years, perhaps 15 or 20, under BOINC. Makes me feel I'm doing something good for the world when I go to bed a night while my computer munches steadily along. David