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Computers OverClocked "Not just another computer help website."
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Distributed Computing - Introduction |
What is Distributed Computing? Distributed Computing is the project where computer users install a program that downloads, crunchs and sends back data in hopes of finding cures, or any other solution that is wanted.
Members use their spare CPU power to crunch the data.
It's for a good cause because one day hopefully a cure will be found for the diseases we're crunching for. You get the statistics of your crunching and these become part of a team. This creates a fun competition between fellow members and other teams.
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Who can be a member of it? Anyone willing to participate who has a computer or can install it on a computer.
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What do I get out of it? You get to be a part of a project that will hopefully one day find a cure for various diseases. Crunching SETI could find intelligent life outside of this planet.
You get to be a part of a great team too! You can compete against fellow members and other teams with the stats and benchmarks that are used.
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What is a cruncher? It's your computer (or it can be the CPU too). Your computer's CPU "crunchs" the data so the term cruncher comes into play.
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What is a work unit (WU)? It's the "packet" of information that your computer will crunch or already crunched.
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Why does my CPU run at 100% when crunching? Your CPU is using its power to crunch the data. It was designed to do this.
When using any high end project, games or this, as always, have proper CPU cooling.
It will not kill your CPU. It will not shorten the life of your CPU either (like you're going to be using the same computer in seven years anyway).
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Can I run it on more than one computer? Yes! We encourage you to do so too!
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Will it slow my computer down? No, as long as your computer meets the requirements of the project it will be fine.
When you use the CPU (games, email, surfing, etc.) it gives the priority to those programs you're using. It only uses what you're not using. It does it automatically. If you want to play Doom3 or other high-end games, you do not need to close it down. The game will just take the CPU's cycles.
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Whoa, he took a dump! It's an act of sending in a lot of results at one time. Usually it far exceeds the user's daily average of production.
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Teams here at ComputersOC |
Why join? Why not? Show your support for the site! You're reading this using your computer. You might as well put it to work crunching for any of our teams.
You can have a fun stats race with fellow members as we all try beating other teams by combining our team's stats.
Last but no least, it's for a good cause as mentioned before. You can help find the cure for diseases (or search for ET) while being part of our great team.
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Crunching Farms Many users get SO addicted to the Distributed Computing projects, that they build barebones "crunchers" to only crunch data for these projects. You can do this too!
In the future, we will add a "Community Cruncher" where members donate money to build computers to crunch for the team. Many other competing teams have seen this idea and are doing so too. Do not let the other teams get ahead! ComputersOC #1!!
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Do you have access to many computers, such as at work, school, etc.? This idea is great if you have access to many computers (such as at your work, school, college, etc.). First you will need to get permission to install it on these.
Write a letter to the head computer person or whoever is in charge at your work, school, college, etc. asking if you can install the program on the workstations or any computer. Explain it's for a good cause and that it can generate good publicity for the work, school, college, whatever (ex. newspapers might write that you guys are doing it).
If you need any help doing this, just ask Adam or post in the forums. Let's show the other teams what team is the boss!
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Forum for questions, chat or anything related to the team The ComputersOC Distributed Computing Teams' forum for all teams is below:
http://www.computersoc.com/viewforum.php?f=4
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All times are GMT - 5 Hours - EDT
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