[kj] OT: Save the world with your Playstation

[Brendan Quinn]

Seeing as we were talking about computers before, thought I'd ask if anyone
takes part in any distributed computing
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distributed_computing>  projects (& suggest
you look into it if not). 

 

The gruntiest DC project (folding at home, which models protein folding /
misfolding) has about 350 000 PCs / Playstations running it, and from what I
can tell exceeds the processing power of the funkiest supercomputer around.
Runs best on PCs / games consoles with decent graphics cards, because they
are specialised at that type of processing (parallel, floating point
maths).generally they are at least 10x more effective with those
calculations than the CPU.

 

Note: it will cost a bit more power as the computer uses more when it's
working harder, but if you have off-peak power you can take advantage of
that, and if the PC is on anyway the extra cost isn't generally that much.

 

Look at it as small price to pay to assuage your guilt and negate the
negative karmic effect of torrenting artists' life's work; leave the PC on
overnight doing both and you get off scot free (the RIAA and Lars Ulrich may
not agree). You may even score a free sticker out of it.

 

BQ

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