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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: "I can do science, me" (World Community Grid)
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Alan Cresswell
Mad Scientist 先生
# 31
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Posted
In the dim recesses of ancient history (well, a few years ago), it was suggested that we have a Ship team to run distributed computing. And, so was born the Ship Cancer Fighting team. Things have moved on, and the old United Devices platform folded.
Now, the Ship team is located at World Community Grid where we currently have 78 members ... and there's always room for more. Currently the WCG projects running are for cancer research (2 projects, one specifically for childhood cancers), muscular dystrophy, dengue fever, AIDS and a general protein folding project that helps increase general bio-medical knowledge relevant to a wide range of diseases.
So, what does it take to be involved?
First, you need a computer with internet access to allow data transfer when you complete bits of work. If you're reading this then the chances are you have such a computer (there may be issues about installing the software on work computers, of course).
Then, you need the computer to have some idle time. You know, those few minutes when all you're doing is reading stuff on the screen or mentally composing a great reply to a post on the Ship. Actually, with most new computers if all it's doing is web-surfing, email and a bit of word processing there's loads of spare computing power just not doing anything.
If that's you then all you need to do is to download a bit of software and go do science. Quick and hopefully easy guide to get going:
- Go to the Ships Team Page and find the "join this team" blue button.
- Click it. If you're already running WCG and just want to join the team, sign in. Otherwise follow the "register" link at the bottom.
- Fill in the registration field, and then you'll be taken to a download page for the software.
- Select the software version for your operating system and follow the instructions.
You should now be up and running.
If you go to the "My Projects" page on the WCG site, you'll be able to configure whether you want to participate in all projects or just some of particular interest to you. There's also a "opt me into new projects" option at the bottom so you automatically join new projects as they're added.
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Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.
Posts: 32413 | From: East Kilbride (Scotland) or 福島 | Registered: May 2001
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Lothlorien
Ship's Grandma
# 4927
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Posted
Alan, it's a very long time since I first investigated this. I can't remember quite what the problem was that I didn't join years ago.
I'm no using a mini-Mac after an eMac. I have a suspicion it was a Mac problem then. Are Macs now suitable?
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Buy a bale. Help our Aussie rural communities and farmers. Another great cause needing support The High Country Patrol.
Posts: 9745 | From: girt by sea | Registered: Aug 2003
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Alan Cresswell
Mad Scientist 先生
# 31
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Posted
When we were still with United Devices, the software was only available for Windows. It'll now run on all major operating systems - including Mac and Linux.
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Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.
Posts: 32413 | From: East Kilbride (Scotland) or 福島 | Registered: May 2001
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QLib
Bad Example
# 43
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Posted
I have Linux and, when I first got it a year ago, I think I tried to sort things out, but gave up. Maybe the problem is that what I have is Acer Linux for a netbook, which has been cut down in some way (I gather). Anyway, I now think it's not worth doing while all I have is the netbook, but I am thinking of getting a proper PC again - in that eventuality, I will re-activate. The geese are flying north for the summer. ![[Paranoid]](graemlins/paranoid.gif)
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Tradition is the handing down of the flame, not the worship of the ashes Gustav Mahler.
Posts: 8913 | From: Page 28 | Registered: May 2001
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Alan Cresswell
Mad Scientist 先生
# 31
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Posted
The resources needed for the application can be fairly reasonable, especially in relation to what older netbooks have available (we got a couple for portable applications at work, six months later when we got some more the amount of memory and disc capacity were much greater). And, if it means adding more parts of an OS then I can see why it might not be worth it (I'm assuming the reduced OS was a consequence of the relatively poor memory and disc capacity of the older netbooks - we had to cut a lot of optional bits out of Windows XP for our early machines).
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Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.
Posts: 32413 | From: East Kilbride (Scotland) or 福島 | Registered: May 2001
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Alan Cresswell
Mad Scientist 先生
# 31
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Posted
We just got a new computer. With a quad processor, I'm now running four tasks at once at home.
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Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.
Posts: 32413 | From: East Kilbride (Scotland) or 福島 | Registered: May 2001
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Joyeux
Ship's Lady of Laughter
# 3851
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Posted
Oooh! A shiny, newish thread! My laptop has been happy on the SoF team for nearly a year now.
(typos...)
[ 12. June 2010, 16:16: Message edited by: Joyeux ]
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Float?...Do science too
Posts: 4318 | From: over th... no, there! | Registered: Dec 2002
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Schroedinger's cat
Ship's cool cat
# 64
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Posted
I have been a part of a long time. However, I cannot install stuff on my work computer anymore. It is still running on my home computers.
And I was at the top of some of the leader boards, until Yorkshire Lad came along. Who are you, and how dare you keep me off the top?
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
So join up people......
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Blog
Music for your enjoyment
Lord may all my hard times be healing times
take out this broken heart and renew my mind.
Posts: 18859 | From: At the bottom of a deep dark well. | Registered: May 2001
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Alan Cresswell
Mad Scientist 先生
# 31
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Joyeux:
Oooh! A shiny, newish thread!
And, I see a shiney new sig too.
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Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.
Posts: 32413 | From: East Kilbride (Scotland) or 福島 | Registered: May 2001
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Emma-Jean
Shipmate
# 7165
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Posted
Just joined a few days ago. I must say I'm a bit competitive so I'm watching to see where I place
Posts: 422 | From: Winter-peg | Registered: May 2004
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Joyeux
Ship's Lady of Laughter
# 3851
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Posted
It's good to have a real reason to update my sig! I must admit that I had to stop a minute to remember my member name for their site. The great thing about this is that you don't have to log in and do anything!
Emma-Jean, welcome to the United Dev... err... ummm... (what's this called again???) SoF World Community Grid team.
SC - Greyface is also ahead of you... take comfort in the fact that you'll almost certainly always be ahead of me.
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Float?...Do science too
Posts: 4318 | From: over th... no, there! | Registered: Dec 2002
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Alan Cresswell
Mad Scientist 先生
# 31
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Joyeux:
SC - Greyface is also ahead of you
Depending on how you sort the list. SC is second in number of points generated, third in respect to results returned and total run time.
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Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.
Posts: 32413 | From: East Kilbride (Scotland) or 福島 | Registered: May 2001
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Doc Tor
Deepest Red
# 9748
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Posted
My steam-powered computer is on BOINC, generating climate models (just verrrry slowly).
I might just fire up the new one and join in.
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Forward the New Republic
Posts: 9131 | From: Ultima Thule | Registered: Jul 2005
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Alan Cresswell
Mad Scientist 先生
# 31
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Schroedinger's cat:
And I was at the top of some of the leader boards, until Yorkshire Lad came along. Who are you, and how dare you keep me off the top?
Aha!
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Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.
Posts: 32413 | From: East Kilbride (Scotland) or 福島 | Registered: May 2001
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YorkshireLad
Apprentice
# 12830
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Posted
Well here I am to admit my guilt, though Alan has spotted me elsewhere and beaten me to it. ![[Hot and Hormonal]](icon_redface.gif)
I have, up to this point in my life, made my living by writing computer software. Therefore I have a fairly formidable network of computers at home (two servers, two quad core machines, and a dual core machine). This research seemed a fairly good way of making use of the time when I was not using these computers.
God has, of course, thrown a spanner in the works by calling me for Ordination, so this network may have a limited lifespan. However my competitive streak hopes that I will have got far enough ahead to stay at the top of the tables for a good while. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Posts: 13 | From: Yorkshire, Lad | Registered: Jul 2007
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dj_ordinaire
Host
# 4643
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Posted
In the process of joining!
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Flinging wide the gates...
Posts: 10335 | From: Hanging in the balance of the reality of man | Registered: Jun 2003
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dj_ordinaire
Host
# 4643
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Posted
Hmmm... Well, I joined but my profile doesn't seem to have any 'Devices installed' - whilst my computer switches to the WCG during down-time and claims that it is isn't signed up to any projects. What gives?
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Flinging wide the gates...
Posts: 10335 | From: Hanging in the balance of the reality of man | Registered: Jun 2003
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Alan Cresswell
Mad Scientist 先生
# 31
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Posted
Sorry, I missed the last post at the time (I was away at the time).
Does it seem to be working yet? Or, are you still having problems?
I see a team member who joined 18th June ... was that you? If so, it seems to be running OK - there are some results returned anyway.
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Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.
Posts: 32413 | From: East Kilbride (Scotland) or 福島 | Registered: May 2001
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dj_ordinaire
Host
# 4643
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Posted
Oh, sorry Alan - yes, I had Issues to begin with but managed to sort it - seems to be running well now anyway....
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Flinging wide the gates...
Posts: 10335 | From: Hanging in the balance of the reality of man | Registered: Jun 2003
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Scarlet
Mellon Collie
# 1738
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Posted
Hi Alan!
I see that I'm still listed as an active member (veganthebeguine) although I've done no projects since 2007.
This is because the only time I was able to complete projects without timing out was when I ran them surreptitiously in the background on my company's powerful server that never shut down. Actually I was rather tickled at my cleverness until paranoia took over that I would get caught. ![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
My home computer was not active that much and I slimed through projects like a snail. So I gave up on both projects I had running.
I'm at home full-time now and I've just downloaded a device and received a project that seems reasonable in completion time (12 hours or so).
Thanks for this reminder. I found the link from the UFO thread. I hope to add a miniscule amount of asset to our team.
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They took from their surroundings what was needed... and made of it something more.
—dialogue from Primer
Posts: 4769 | Registered: Nov 2001
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Golden Key
Shipmate
# 1468
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Posted
I'm skimming the WG site. Does anyone have experience participating via dial-up?
Thanks!
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Blessed Gator, pray for us!
--"Oh bat bladders, do you have to bring common sense into this?" (Dragon, "Jane & the Dragon")
--"Oh, Peace Train, save this country!" (Yusuf/Cat Stevens, "Peace Train")
Posts: 18601 | From: Chilling out in an undisclosed, sincere pumpkin patch. | Registered: Oct 2001
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Alan Cresswell
Mad Scientist 先生
# 31
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Posted
In theory, there should be no problem under dial up. There's a small amount of data transferred when a module is complete - to send the results in and get the next bit of work to do. If you're online fairly regularly then it should be able to do that ... I've no idea how long the transfer would take, also I'm not sure what happens if you go offline mid transfer.
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Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.
Posts: 32413 | From: East Kilbride (Scotland) or 福島 | Registered: May 2001
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Pants
Emergency underwear
# 999
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Posted
Every time this thread pops up I read it. Every time I read it I still haven't really got a clue what it's about. What is it and how does it work and what does it do and why!?!! ![[Confused]](confused.gif)
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♣ Many big thank yous to those who sponsored us. ♣
I use £6m of military hardware to find hidden Tupperware in the woods.
Posts: 15217 | From: A grown up house | Registered: May 2003
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Alan Cresswell
Mad Scientist 先生
# 31
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Posted
OK, put simply ...
World Community Grid is distributed computing. You take a problem that would require an awful lot of computing power and rather than get a few supercomputers working on it you distribute the task out between a large number of normal computers. The WCG uses a program designed to run such tasks in the background, ie: while the computer would otherwise be idle - as a screensaver, or even when you're just reading a thread or contemplating what you want to write in a document. Thus, once installed most of the time you won't even notice it's there - it just needs an internet connection when it needs to report the results of a piece of work and get instructions on what to do next.
Does that explain things sufficiently?
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Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.
Posts: 32413 | From: East Kilbride (Scotland) or 福島 | Registered: May 2001
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Golden Key
Shipmate
# 1468
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Posted
Thanks, Alan.
I'll continue to think about it. My connection is often iffy.
*Is there a way that I can control when the program uploads results to WG?*
If I do try it, I may go for the Muscular Dystrophy project--looks like it requires very little computer space and computer effort.
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Blessed Gator, pray for us!
--"Oh bat bladders, do you have to bring common sense into this?" (Dragon, "Jane & the Dragon")
--"Oh, Peace Train, save this country!" (Yusuf/Cat Stevens, "Peace Train")
Posts: 18601 | From: Chilling out in an undisclosed, sincere pumpkin patch. | Registered: Oct 2001
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Alan Cresswell
Mad Scientist 先生
# 31
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Posted
Having just had a quick look at the preferences settings on my system, there are options to control connection - including defining times when it should try to conenct if needed, and asking for connection (I'm assuming that would mean a pop up message saying it needs to connect and asking for permission).
Note that individual projects sometimes have no work to do, so by selecting just one project you may not be doing anything at some times. And, there are occasionally new projects added and finished ones removed. In the system preferences you can limit the amount of computer resource the WCG agent will use if you find it adversely affects performance.
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Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.
Posts: 32413 | From: East Kilbride (Scotland) or 福島 | Registered: May 2001
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Pants
Emergency underwear
# 999
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Posted
Thanks Alan. I think so. I imagine I just don't understand the concept of such computing ideas!
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♣ Many big thank yous to those who sponsored us. ♣
I use £6m of military hardware to find hidden Tupperware in the woods.
Posts: 15217 | From: A grown up house | Registered: May 2003
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Jengie jon
Semper Reformanda
# 273
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Posted
It is a question of how do you tackle a labour intensive repetitive task such as stuffing envelope work.
You could do it by have a department in an office, with the latest equipment, fully automated and workers getting a fairly high wage packet as they are largely engineers or quality control people who work to keep the machines working efficiently.
or you can do it by
Sending out sacks to lots of people who prefer to work at home and therefore will low pay for doing it manually. They are low skilled and therefore have little ability to demand more.
The thing is that most people imagine scientists as working with with complex machinery and getting highly exciting results, rushing around and yelling eureka.
Unfortunately most of it is mind numbingly tedious, repetitive and dull. The sort of things computers do well and humans don't. Boy am I glad that you no longer get PhDs in statistics for calculating a new set of statistical tables by hand. However because it is doing the same thing over and over again, like stuffing envelopes, you can just like stuffing envelopes split it up these runs and send them to different machines.
Suppose you want to know if a specific DNA pattern occurs in any of several million different DNA segments. You could either use a big machine to do it many times, or you can send batches of segments to smaller machines who then look from the pattern just in their few segments and then send the results back to the main computer. A small machine may only be able to scan a single segment at a time but if you have hundreds of thousands of these machines doing it, they can do it together fairly quickly.
Jengie
[ 23. August 2010, 12:03: Message edited by: Jengie Jon ]
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"To violate a persons ability to distinguish fact from fantasy is the epistemological equivalent of rape." Noretta Koertge
Back to my blog
Posts: 20894 | From: city of steel, butterflies and rainbows | Registered: May 2001
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Squibs
Shipmate
# 14408
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Posted
My AMD 3700+ might be a while in churning out the results.
Posts: 1124 | From: Here, there and everywhere | Registered: Dec 2008
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Alan Cresswell
Mad Scientist 先生
# 31
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Posted
News from WCG.
There is a new project added, computing for clean water. Which is looking at water flow on a molecular level to help understand filtration processes and hopefully develop novel filters that are cheap and efficient.
Initial results from the Childhood Cancer project have identified promising drug candidates and three additional targets that have been added to the tasks for WCG volunteers.
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Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.
Posts: 32413 | From: East Kilbride (Scotland) or 福島 | Registered: May 2001
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Alan Cresswell
Mad Scientist 先生
# 31
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Posted
Indeed it does sound interesting, and well worthwhile.
Just a reminder to everyone participating, there's an option to automatically sign into new projects. If you don't have this option enabled (or you're not sure) and you want to participate in the clean water project then make sure you check your settings so that the WCG software knows to send you the relevant work units.
And, if you're not participating in the WCG, or similar, why not?
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Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.
Posts: 32413 | From: East Kilbride (Scotland) or 福島 | Registered: May 2001
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Scarlet
Mellon Collie
# 1738
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Posted
Sounds worthwhile indeed, Alan! I will opt in to the clean water project as soon as I earn a 14 day badge for my current choice for work-units.
Thus far, I'm a little less than having earned two days CPU time. I'm still a slow cruncher. ![[Cool]](cool.gif)
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They took from their surroundings what was needed... and made of it something more.
—dialogue from Primer
Posts: 4769 | Registered: Nov 2001
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Alan Cresswell
Mad Scientist 先生
# 31
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Posted
The WCG are hosting a webcast with Dr. Alex Perryman from The Scripps Research Institute, where he will provide an overview and an update about the FightAIDS@Home project. The webcast will be today (December 1) starting at 3pm Eastern Standard Time (8pm GMT). The webcast can be accessed here. There's a test link to make sure your computer is set up for the webcast in advance.
The webcast will then be put on YouTube - but, of course, you'll not be able to participate in the live question and answer session.
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Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.
Posts: 32413 | From: East Kilbride (Scotland) or 福島 | Registered: May 2001
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Alan Cresswell
Mad Scientist 先生
# 31
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Posted
Just an update to say that the team has just passed the 100,000 results returned landmark. Well done all who are involved, and if we get some more people active we'll reach the 200,000 post quicker than we got to 100,000.
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Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.
Posts: 32413 | From: East Kilbride (Scotland) or 福島 | Registered: May 2001
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Chorister
Completely Frocked
# 473
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Posted
Mine is suspended at the moment, as the computer is really clogged up and running very slowly. Hoping to get everything sorted out soon....
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Retired, sitting back and watching others for a change.
Posts: 34626 | From: Cream Tealand | Registered: Jun 2001
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Beethoven
Ship's deaf genius
# 114
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Posted
Finally got around to sorting this out - given the amount of time my laptop spends on, it might as well be doing something productive! Just installing the software at the moment, so will hopefully be up and running soon...
Posts: 1309 | From: Here (and occasionally there) | Registered: May 2001
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Japes
Shipmate
# 5358
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Posted
I've had a couple of months break, (computer dying, taking time to get new one sorted) but it's all up and running again.
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Blog may or may not be of any interest.
Posts: 2013 | From: Somewhere in the middle | Registered: Dec 2003
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Lothlorien
Ship's Grandma
# 4927
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Posted
Mine's been running happily for ages. I'll be moving sometime in the next six weeks and will be off air for a while till new net access is enabled and determined.
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Buy a bale. Help our Aussie rural communities and farmers. Another great cause needing support The High Country Patrol.
Posts: 9745 | From: girt by sea | Registered: Aug 2003
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Jack the Lass
Ship's airhead
# 3415
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Posted
I have just joined, but it doesn't look like anything's happening yet. I vaguely remember this happening the first time I signed up to UD too. I'll get back to you if I don't see anything happening in the next few days.
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"My body is a temple - it's big and doesn't move." (Jo Brand)
wiblog blipfoto blog
Posts: 5767 | From: the land of the deep-fried Mars Bar | Registered: Oct 2002
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Surfing Madness
Shipmate
# 11087
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Posted
Just joined, seems to be doing something. (working on something, but won't be able to upload results/ get new project as will be off line for a couple of weeks.)
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I now blog about all my crafting! http://inspiredbybroadway.blogspot.co.uk
Posts: 1542 | From: searching for the jam | Registered: Feb 2006
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Jack the Lass
Ship's airhead
# 3415
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Posted
Ooh ooh something's happening now - excellent! I appear to be working on something to do with Muscular Dystrophy, a nice short thing of just a few hours to be getting on with.
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"My body is a temple - it's big and doesn't move." (Jo Brand)
wiblog blipfoto blog
Posts: 5767 | From: the land of the deep-fried Mars Bar | Registered: Oct 2002
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Sir Kevin
Ship's Gaffer
# 3492
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Posted
I am still here and have donated several days of computer time in the name of cancer research.
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If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the other direction Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Writing is currently my hobby, not yet my profession.
Posts: 30517 | From: White Hart Lane | Registered: Oct 2002
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itokro
Shipmate
# 16135
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Posted
Doing science? Sign me up!
(Apparently I'm the 100th member of the SoF team. This makes me feel special)
Posts: 74 | From: UK | Registered: Jan 2011
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Alan Cresswell
Mad Scientist 先生
# 31
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Posted
The team is still plugging away for the good of humanity. Good deeds for no effort ... there aren't many opportunities for that, so if you're not already signed up .... well, you know what to do!
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Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.
Posts: 32413 | From: East Kilbride (Scotland) or 福島 | Registered: May 2001
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Surfing Madness
Shipmate
# 11087
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Posted
Me and technology don't go together well, so hope some one can answer my question. I've been running the community grid happily in the back ground for a while. When I set it up I didn't opt in to many projects. How do I know opt in to some extra ones? Thanks
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I now blog about all my crafting! http://inspiredbybroadway.blogspot.co.uk
Posts: 1542 | From: searching for the jam | Registered: Feb 2006
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Alan Cresswell
Mad Scientist 先生
# 31
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Posted
If you log in, there's a link on the left hand side to "My Projects". That will list all the projects currently available, and those which are 'intermittent'. Check the boxes for any projects that you want to participate in (or the "Participate in all projects" one). Also, at the bottom there's an "opt into all new projects" option. When you're happy with the selection click "save".
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Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.
Posts: 32413 | From: East Kilbride (Scotland) or 福島 | Registered: May 2001
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jlg
What is this place?
Why am I here?
# 98
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Posted
Thanks for bumping this, Alan. I couldn't get it to work on my old computer, but my nice new Mac (which has lots of idle time) is now part of the project.
Posts: 17391 | From: Just a Town, New Hampshire, USA | Registered: May 2001
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