Why we're not quite catching up with AMD Users

[UBT - Timbo]

Hi all,

Thought I'd check out our competition and it seems that one reason why AMD Users have put on a spurt in the last few days is due to a Team Competition they are having...

http://www.amdusers.com/modules.php?nam ... pic&t=2454

So, it seems to me that we need a call of arms to ward off this threat and get cracking on pushing hard to get past real soon.

So, if you are viewing this and are NOT yet a UBT Member, please join up soonest - we need your help to thwart these AMD people  8)

Otherwise, if your ARE already a member, we need as many BOINC projects to be crunched in the next 7 days in order to get to 46th place...!


regards,

Tim

[UBT - PaulT]

SETI Enhanced probably has probably not helped our cause.  I've got over 1000 credits pending.

[UBT - Halifax-lad]

Oh well competition at least

[Temujin]

Otherwise, if your ARE already a member, we need as many BOINC projects to be crunched in the next 7 days in order to get to 46th place...!

Surely we just need lots of credits, irrespective of project

[UBT - Halifax-lad]

Otherwise, if your ARE already a member, we need as many BOINC projects to be crunched in the next 7 days in order to get to 46th place...!

Surely we just need lots of credits, irrespective of project

Yup thats all we need

[UBT - Timbo]

SETI Enhanced probably has probably not helped our cause.  I've got over 1000 credits pending.

Yup, sorry to say that I've switched my slower PC's to Einstein using an optimised program (version s41 if you're interested) (and WCG for the Crunch).

I simply cannot be bothered to wait 96,000 seconds (26 hours!) for my P3/600 MHz to crunch ONE WU (SE) - using v4.18 and an optimised client took only 1.5 hours...!

see this thread here:

http://setiweb.ssl.berkeley.edu/forum_t ... p?id=30538

regards,

Tim

[UBT - PaulT]

SETI Enhanced probably has probably not helped our cause.  I've got over 1000 credits pending.

Yup, sorry to say that I've switched my slower PC's to Einstein using an optimised program (version s41 if you're interested) (and WCG for the Crunch).

I simply cannot be bothered to wait 96,000 seconds (26 hours!) for my P3/600 MHz to crunch ONE WU (SE) - using v4.18 and an optimised client took only 1.5 hours...!

see this thread here:

http://setiweb.ssl.berkeley.edu/forum_t ... p?id=30538

regards,

Tim

I've gone from having a 50-50 split between SETI and Einstein to 25-75 in favor of Einstein.  Not because of the time it takes to crunch these enhanced wu's, but because of the number that fail.  If I'm going to leave my 2 PC's running 24/7 for these projects, I would prefer it if the work they were doing is valid and not waist 3 hours doing 75% of a seti wu only to have it bomb.

[UBT - Timbo]

I've gone from having a 50-50 split between SETI and Einstein to 25-75 in favor of Einstein.  Not because of the time it takes to crunch these enhanced wu's, but because of the number that fail.  If I'm going to leave my 2 PC's running 24/7 for these projects, I would prefer it if the work they were doing is valid and not waist 3 hours doing 75% of a SETI wu only to have it bomb.

SETI shouldn't bomb - it's a very well thought out program, and if there's an issue you would expect a lot of people to start complaining very loudly - and you know what the Yanks are like when they start yelling!!


Have you any idea why it's been crashing - you can do a few things to help find out why.

First is to detach the SETI project and then re-join, which will cause BOINC to download a new stash of app's and WU's.

Once you're back, you can then go to "your account" click  on "view  computers", and then merge the old computer with the new one.

Secondly, see if you've go the right "optimised" client. Now at present the new v5.x optimised clients are being rolled out, so expect a few days to go past before they are ready. So, just use the standard SETI app for now (which is downloaded automatically.

Next check which version of BOINC you are using. Should be at least v5.2.13. Use the standard version for now (from here: boinc.berkeley.edu and then maybe get an optimised version once things have settled down.

If that doesn't sort it out, then check how much ram you've got and the memory timings for it. Check your BIOS to see it supports the memory speed and then last of all, check your CPU temperature - the recent warm spell causes my own office to get VERY warm due to weather plus 5 PC's all on at once. As such, as bit of chip creep might be causing a problem, so switch off, and check all the bits inside the PC (if you know what you're doing !!).

Once you've done this, let me know if it works...!

regards,

Tim

[UBT - Halifax-lad]

You shouldn't have to play around with any settings to get SETI to work correctly, as your computers are hidden on SETI, I can't look at the WU's to see what is going wrong

[Temujin]

I'd like to make a suggestion which could increase our RAC significantly.
Most of my boinc credit has come from computers based at my workplace.
Now, I know I'm lucky in this respect, only 2 of my 40+ machines are mine, the rest belong to work.

I'd like each and every UBT member to ask this question at work, "can I run boinc on some/all/any/one work computer(s)".
Actually ask the question, they can only say no.

If they're worried about private data, assure them its all safe/secret.
Tell them boinc can be setup so it doesn't run while the computer is in use, or only at certain times ie outside office hours or weekends.

There must be hundreds if not thousands of computers at our collective workplaces. If we could get even just a small percentage of them.
Tell them its all in a good cause and that they'll get a nice warm glowing feeling knowing that they're putting them to good use.

Go on, ask the question, there's nothing to lose and they just might say yes.

[UBT - Halifax-lad]

Go on, ask the question, there's nothing to lose and they just might say yes.

Already know the answer its a NO

[Darren]

Where I work is a NO as well!
PC's are off overnight.

HP 3000's - kick out loads of heat  and the fans sound like a jet taking off when they are being worked hard.

20 of those running non-stop and

a) We'd all bake in the summer
b) Wouldn't be able to hear ourselves think!

[UBT - Timbo]

Go on, ask the question, there's nothing to lose and they just might say yes.

It's a great idea.

Trouble is - some firms now are following the "switch IT off" campaign, asking employees to make sure they shut down their PC's at night, so they save electricity:

This can save firms considerable cost - say 15 hours a day (6pm until 9am) and 63 hours at weekends - that's a "saving" of  123 hours (out of 168 in a week !!) so about a 70+% saving on energy costs for IT.

(Of course nothing to stop "crunching" for the other 45 hours during the day!!)

Also some servers are on 24/7 to allow for home-workers etc.

Got to figure a way of running SETI on a photo-copier - most people leave that on 24/7...

regards,

Tim

[UBT - PaulT]

I've gone from having a 50-50 split between SETI and Einstein to 25-75 in favor of Einstein.  Not because of the time it takes to crunch these enhanced wu's, but because of the number that fail.  If I'm going to leave my 2 PC's running 24/7 for these projects, I would prefer it if the work they were doing is valid and not waist 3 hours doing 75% of a SETI wu only to have it bomb.

SETI shouldn't bomb - it's a very well thought out program, and if there's an issue you would expect a lot of people to start complaining very loudly - and you know what the Yanks are like when they start yelling!!


Have you any idea why it's been crashing - you can do a few things to help find out why.

First is to detach the SETI project and then re-join, which will cause BOINC to download a new stash of app's and WU's.

Once you're back, you can then go to "your account" click  on "view  computers", and then merge the old computer with the new one.

Secondly, see if you've go the right "optimised" client. Now at present the new v5.x optimised clients are being rolled out, so expect a few days to go past before they are ready. So, just use the standard SETI app for now (which is downloaded automatically.

Next check which version of BOINC you are using. Should be at least v5.2.13. Use the standard version for now (from here: boinc.berkeley.edu and then maybe get an optimised version once things have settled down.

If that doesn't sort it out, then check how much ram you've got and the memory timings for it. Check your BIOS to see it supports the memory speed and then last of all, check your CPU temperature - the recent warm spell causes my own office to get VERY warm due to weather plus 5 PC's all on at once. As such, as bit of chip creep might be causing a problem, so switch off, and check all the bits inside the PC (if you know what you're doing !!).

Once you've done this, let me know if it works...!

regards,

Tim

I know the PC is ok.  Wonder if it's anything to do with the "No heartbeat from core client for 31 sec - exiting" I posted about yesterday.

I've detatched from SETI, uninstalled then reinstalled BOINC and attached to SETI again.  

Hopefully this gets things running again.

[UBT - Mikee]

We got a few computers at work (switched off at night but it'll still be 40-50 odd hours of use) but I need precise, succinct and simple answers to the following:-

1 - Why.
2 - Who benefits.
3 - What do we get out of it.
4 - Is it safe.
5 - What do we say to IT support (Our IT support department is darn sarf - probs are fixed remotely or over the phone if poss)
6 - Who is responsible if the computers get locked up/break and BOINC is blame?
7 - Another question they'd ask but I haven't thought of yet - your choice!


Now I know the answers but I tend to waffle, go off subject and would probably not put a good case.

So...

What should the replies be to make a good case?

[UBT - Timbo]

We got a few computers at work (switched off at night but it'll still be 40-50 odd hours of use) but I need precise, succinct and simple answers to the following:-

1 - Why.
2 - Who benefits.
3 - What do we get out of it.
4 - Is it safe.
5 - What do we say to IT support (Our IT support department is darn sarf - probs are fixed remotely or over the phone if poss)
6 - Who is responsible if the computers get locked up/break and BOINC is blame?
7 - Another question they'd ask but I haven't thought of yet - your choice!


Now I know the answers but I tend to waffle, go off subject and would probably not put a good case.

So...

What should the replies be to make a good case?

1 - Why.
Because then the PC will be contributing to science instead of sitting there doing very little now. It can do something good and justify it's existence as well as making a useful contribution, instead of being a "cost to the environment", when eventually it will be chucked away and buried in some distant land along with all the other noxious chemicals that man creates.

2 - Who benefits.
Science does and man-kind as a result

3 - What do we get out of it.
A warm glowing feeling that at last you can make a contribution at little cost instead of doing nothing.

4 - Is it safe.
As safe as any man-made object can be - even light bulbs fail.

5 - What do we say to IT support (Our IT support department is darn sarf - probs are fixed remotely or over the phone if poss)
Whoever suggests BOINC to be installed must take personal responsibility fo overseeing it's installation and subsequent safe removal.

6 - Who is responsible if the computers get locked up/break and BOINC is blame?
see #5

7 - Another question they'd ask but I haven't thought of yet - your choice! If BOINC is so good, why isn't it installed by the manufacturer when I bought it?
Easy - manufacturers are behind the times - but some manufacturers and OS providers are now seeing the light and including BOINC on certain PC's (i./e. Linux distro's for instance).

regards,

Tim

[UBT - Mikee]

Thank you.

Not sure about 4 though. I meant is it 'computer' safe - i.e. against hackers, software compatibilty etc.

At the moment I don't think they even have antivirus, nevermind Firewalls.

So I think I'll use it as part of a general statadgy 'I've got some ideas to make the computers safer and help mankind' sort of thing!

[UBT - Timbo]

Thank you.

Not sure about 4 though. I meant is it 'computer' safe - i.e. against hackers, software compatibilty etc.

At the moment I don't think they even have antivirus, nevermind Firewalls.

So I think I'll use it as part of a general statadgy 'I've got some ideas to make the computers safer and help mankind' sort of thing!

OK - No. 4 again:

"in hardware context" - The above was written because BOINC and some projects do work the CPU "hard", with a result that some PC's may overheat, become "over-stressed" and hence fail. So, for "systems-critical" PC's I wouldn't use BOINC - but for any general stuff, then it's OK.

"in software context" - No software is "100 % safe" (as it's coded by humans!) but BOINC has been developed over many man-years and is as good as any commercial grade software that costs ££'s - and yet BOINC is FREE...! - so it's highly unlikely you'll get a virus or trojan through BOINC - so the "software" is as "safe" as it can be.

regards,

Tim

[UBT - Chris Suddick]

Why not offer to set the URL in your preferences to your company's website which would offer them some kind of free publicity or exposure? It's a small tangible benefit for them and may swing it.

Also, if your bosses/IT staff have any social or ecological awareness you could stress the benefits of the particular projects that might appeal to them. Particularly CPDN/BBC CCE or any of the medical projects such as SIMAP/Rosetta/Malaria etc.

Chris.

[UBT - Mikee]

Bit of an old thread but relevant.

According to BOINCStats (dirty word I know) we just overtook AMD Users and are up to World position 43.

http://www.boincstats.com/stats/boinc_t ... pr=bo&st=0

Russia are 42 but are just outRACing us so the next target over there is 'Einstein at work' they're 2 million ahead but a much lower RAC.

[UBT - Timbo]

Bit of an old thread but relevant.

According to BOINCStats (dirty word I know) we just overtook AMD Users and are up to World position 43.

http://www.boincstats.com/stats/boinc_t ... pr=bo&st=0

Russia are 42 but are just outRACing us so the next target over there is 'Einstein at work' they're 2 million ahead but a much lower RAC.

"AMD Users" have been outRACing us for a while and overtook us a few days ago.

We've passed them today in the stats sites, due to a new member bringing over his various CPDN credits yesterday (many thanks to Ken !).

And please understand - the stats sites can be up to 24 (or more) hours BEHIND the actual real total credits - our own stats site has real time stats, which are more indicative of the actual hour-by-hour position.

So, I believe that "AMD Users" will overtake us again, unless we can get some more crunching done soon...!


UPDATE:



Around the same time (and according to the stats sites), we overtook Hungary, so our NET position stayed the same (#44). However, this is not true as the stats sites have summed the wrong "Hungary" team on the Predictor project, so in fact "Hungary" is actually around 760,000 credits better off, than the stats sites give them credit for.

In a couple of hundred thousand credits, we'll definitely be passed the TRUE total credit score of "Hungary" and then we can celebrate properly.

regards,

Tim

[UBT - Calum Mercer]

In a real world environment i would expect 5 & 6 to be the responsibility of the IT department as well. I would not want anyone other than them to be able to install new applications - I need to know who to sack if they get something wrong  :lol:  :violent3:

[UBT - Mikee]

I since found out that the computers are locked to the hilt! Can't even change a keyboard without their sayso!