DU's Folding @ Home Project - STATUS UPDATE 2

[iconoclastNYC]

Folding@Home is a project run by Standford university that uses your computers idle processing cycles to research cures for diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and cancer.

Democratic Underground has a team on the Folding@Home project. To learn how you can help with our project please see this thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=299849&mesg_id=299849

To learn about our team progress continue reading.

Here's the latest report:




Metric 1: CPU Growth.

Since I started keeping stats on Jan 17 we have added 136 CPUS to our team. That's great news! Unfortunately the Freepers added an amazing 246 additional CPUs to their project in this time.

One freeper said he added 90 CPUs to their team so the majority of these their new additions may be people installing it on lab computers. Eventually they'll run out of labs to add it to. Thing to remember is that they are much farther along in building their team than we are. Hopefully they'll hit their ceiling soon in terms of installed CPUs and we will keep growing.

The first thing we need to do close the gap on CPU parity...right now we have 35.6% of the CPUs as the Freepers do.

As the CPU graph shows we have not gained on the Freepers in terms of CPUs.



Metric 2: Score Growth

Our team score is 23.3% of the Freepers right now. This is an 3.5 points over the January 27th gap. Real progress! This despite the fact that the Freepers have a lot more CPUs on us.

Suggestions I have to take this project to the next level.

1. Our own PHP-based stats site, updated every 3 hours like the OCP site but only listing DU vs. Freepers. Like these graphs i'm doing in Excel but updated immediately.

2. DU Folding @ Home Frequently Asked Questions

3. DU Folding @ Home e-mailing mailing list to facilitate #4

4. Coordinated posting schedule to keep threads kicked and on the greatest page

5. Lobby to get a article (not thread) posted on the home page. Maybe we can write an article about the history of the Folding @ home project and highlight quotes from DU members who are contributing to it. This would be huge exposure for the project. Article should probably downplay the freeper competition.

6. Register a special DU Folding@Home screen name to post on the official threads on

7. Folding@Home avatar

8. Pick sever milestone goals and try to push news of reaching the goals on the DU Blog (threads that are on the home page)

9. We should have a goal that there are no negative posts on the threads that we don't help resolve. Negative posts will stop people from contributing. With this is mind I think we should solicit for volunteers who will help with tech support for DUers who try to join the project but have technical difficulties.

Something that we should get out to everyone is that if they are having problems with crashing it's probably most likely do to poor cooling, and the easiest solution is to throttle down the Folding client to only 80% of CPU. A better solution is to install a more efficient/better fitting/bigger CPU heat sink or more case exhaust fans. We may want to approach people who have posted problems on the board before and help them resolve their issues. We can touch on this on the FAQ.

Please let me know what you think about my suggestions.

[brainshrub]

1. I'm on the DU folding home team, and it's easy to do.

Don't be scared of it. There is no reason why you shouldn't install this simple program. So much good can come from it.

[murdoch]

27. I just signed up

I used to run the Distributed.net RC5 cracking program on a number of machines. I just put this on my machine. I think the bit I grabbed will be finished in March - yikes! Well, it can use my spare CPU cycles. Maybe it will cure cancer or something. Also, we can't let the freeper beat us!

[corporate_mike]

37. Ignore early completion estimates

Estimates in the first 10-15 minutes are unreliable

[Mabus]

2. Kick & Recommended and some thoughts

I think your suggestions are great. Folding is something so simple to do (for me I downloaded and I was done) and yet reaps great rewards for medical research.

I wonder if we can do a Research Topic thread on the DU Folding team. We need a really more permanent place to keep things like EvolveOrConvolve's Window Installation FAQ, as well as the rest of the helpful threads that people have posted. It would also serve as a repository for graphics and information like your OP.

How about contacting the Admins to do a membership drive, similar to the fundraising drive? We could ask them to set up a header the same way they do as a fundraiser (with a boxing glove heading toards Bush's head) and set the membership drive to something like 500. If we could get just 500 DU'ers to sign up their 500 computers (plus any others available in their homes) we'd have as many, if not more, CPUs than the freepers. Moreover those on the DU team would be CPUs that were gained without the co-opting and misappropriating of computer labs CPUs that has been done by the freepers.

Also, the http://folding.extremeoverclocking.com/team_summary.php?s=&t=48157 link will begin showing more individualized stats once we hit the top 800. However, I would be in favor of a specialized page for DU stats.

[corporate_mike]

15. Recommended - Please recommend so it will go to the greatest page.

[Maru Kitteh]

16. YES a membership drive - only the boxing glove would be heaaded

for "get a brain morans" head! It's a great cause especially if we can wipe out the freepers in the process too!

[samhsarah]

3. Thank you for this post. It's so easy to do...

And I haven't noticed any difference in my computer's performance. It's a great cause and everyone should use the opportunity to participate. Kicked and Recommended.

[laheina]

6. I second that.

I just installed it a few days ago, and it's like it's not even there. Sometimes I'll go to use the computer and see the folding screen, but it doesn't even affect it.

[corporate_mike]

21. make that 3

:)

[EvolveOrConvolve]

4. I'm pressed for time most of the week, but I'd be willing

to manage a database of all the current DU users who are F@H contributors. To do so, I would need everyone who has a F@H account on the DU team to PM me with:

1) Their DU username
2) The F@H username on the DU team
3) Whether or not the person wants updates on new F@H threads, news about the project, or other information

That way, anytime we have updates for the F@H team, I could send out PM's to all those people who want to keep up with the project. In addition, we need a coordinator to manage all the information, preferable someone with some time on their hands (any retirees doing folding?).

I'd also be able to contribute to any tech support threads that are posted. But... (isn't there always a but), we need a centralized location to store those threads - possibly a subforum in the DU Groups? I wouldn't know how to go about requesting a new subforum. (To Elad, Skinner, etc.: I'd be willing to post a new donation from myself for the new subforum - hint hint hint, bribe bribe bribe :) ) A subforum would give us a central repository for all F@H threads, including tech support, FAQs, tutorials, instruction guides, and a place for Folders to meet and chat about other things.

Anyway, I think the ideas are great iconoclast! Keep up the good work DU Folders!

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

[iconoclastNYC]

5. Do you think that getting our own forum

Might hold us back? Meaning that they'll make us post there and not in General? Just a thought.

[EvolveOrConvolve]

7. I doubt it

It should still be perfectly okay to post threads in GD talking about the successes of the DU F@H team, and inviting people to join us. The Group Forum would be for current F@H members to ask questions, read up more on the project, etc. It would be a central repository for all the information that's currently spread out in various GD threads (many of them buried).

Of course, if we start spamming GD with F@H threads, it's a different story. But the number of threads we have in GD would probably stay the same, and I doubt that will be a problem.

BTW, I found out how to request a new DU Group:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=206x10

If someone could write a mission statement and explain the direction and goals of a DU Folding@Home Group, we could easily get enough support to start the Group.

[Maru Kitteh]

18. I PM'd you with my info

Thanks for doing this for us :)

[EvolveOrConvolve]

20. I got it, thanks!

[laheina]

8. This might be somewhat inconsequential

but I think a Folding@Home avatar would be nifty. :applause:

[iconoclastNYC]

9. Any suggestions?

I can do graphic design so if anyone has an idea for what it should look like please respond.

[Imalittleteapot]

10. Get permission to use the F@H icon. I love it.

[EvolveOrConvolve]

11. Yea, the red cogwheel icon

(I think it's a cogwheel) would be great, with the letters F@H underneath it. Even better would be the words "DU Folder" superimposed over the top of the icon, but I'm not sure if that would work - I'm a computer programmer and pretty graphically retarded.

[laheina]

12. The cog is good.

Google now has a button that you can add to the google toolbar (which adds you to the google team.) It's just a double helix, though.

And an explanatory notation would be a good idea. I have to admit that the first time that I saw mention of "folding," I thought that some sillies in the lounge were simultaneously doing their laundry. :blush: But in my own defense, I had been out of DU for a few weeks!!:P

[iconoclastNYC]

13. Sortable Team Stats link

http://fahstats.com/t.php?col=2&t=48157

[corporate_mike]

19. that's a great stat site

:)

[Mabus]

23. Extended stats on extremeoverclocking for Team DU

http://folding.extremeoverclocking.com/team_summary.php?s=&t=48157

When we got into the top 800 the extremeoverclocking stats were expanded. Here's a portion of the new stats available.



DU: Team User Info
New 165
Active 164 (+164 )
Inactive 1
Total 165 (+165 )
Avg PPD 80.3



freepers:
New 14 (-8 )
Active 179 (+5 )
Inactive 70
Total 249 (+13 )
Avg PPD 222.5

[corporate_mike]

24. Gotta love the trend :)

http://folding.extremeoverclocking.com/graphs/production_day.php?s=&t=48157

[Maru Kitteh]

14. Great suggestions all!

I'd be happy to contibute in any/every way possible.

[alfredo]

17. I will try to help with the Mac users.

It's not near as complicated as it seems on Windows. CPU and memory usage can't be set, but doesn't need to be. The client adjusts to the load.

I will try to put together a visual tutorial.

[corporate_mike]

22. How about a link on the Front Page of DU?

[iconoclastNYC]

25. Folding Avatar Idea

This is animated......copy/paste this into ur browser if u missed the animation:

dufolding.christopherblair.net/folding-avatar.gif



Problem is they only let avatars be 6K, and this is 21K! Maybe we could lobby for an exception?

[EvolveOrConvolve]

28. I don't think we'd be able to get an exception

The reason being, imagine a thread with 300+ posts, and each avatar was 21K. That's 6.3 MB by itself (although most/some of the images would be redundant). Still, a dial up nightmare.

Maybe if we get a subforum setup, we could talk admin into letting the forum leader use the avatar.

Is there any way to lower the size of the file, or does the resolution of the image require the file to be that size?

[iconoclastNYC]

29. That's not how it works.

You only download a file one time, it's cached, and then it never has to download again. And if the avatar is stored on my server and not on DU's I'd be paying for all the bandwith.

[EvolveOrConvolve]

32. Yea, that's what I meant by redundant

But many people clear their cache often (I do it once a day). For me it doesn't really matter, I have a 5Mb connection, and even 400 or 500 post threads download fast. I can see why the size is limited, especially with all the other things - signatures, posted images, etc. that can really clog up a thread. Maybe if you PM'd a mod/admin with the suggestion that you will be hosting the avatar and eating the cost of bandwidth, an exception could be made.

Do you think that you can get the size down at all? I really like the way it looks, and think it would be perfect for showing off who the DU folders are.

[Mabus]

30. Here's my contribution, a starter avatar

I've uploaded it to a photobucket account that I created using MSPaint. It is saved as a jpg so if anyone wants to take and make an avatar with it, go for it. You should be able to right click on the image and save it to your harddrive.

This one is 2 KB in size using 96 x 96 dpi resolution. In pixels, it is 38 pixels in width and 30 in height.

[corporate_mike]

40. Signature images can be more useful

Anyone have a folding logo for Team DU?

[mia]

57. I like the moving protein logo.

Join DU's Folding@Home team.

*Click on the protein.



*Click here for free download.

*Type in #48157 when asked for team number.

It's that easy!

[alfredo]

26. 260 CPU's 768 ranking. Not bad at all.

I think I got the two clients running now. Not sure how well they are running, I will know soon. I've had problems with the WU being corrupted and resetting of the count. Let's hope it works this time.

[Mabus]

31. For your sake

I hope so too. :hi:

[alfredo]

33. Well, they didn't work out. When I rebooted, the WU reset

to zero. So I am back to one client.

[Mabus]

34. We blew a fuse the other day

and temporarily lost power to the house. My husband's computer lost the WU he was working on. Okay, he didn't lose the WU but it did start folding from scratch. Since then I have manually quit (by right clicking on the icon in the system tray) the program on his computer several times each day. After it has been idle for a couple of minutes I restart the program. Earlier today when one of the dogs unplugged the surge protector for his computer he didn't start from scratch. It started from where I had last done the manual quit. You might try doing that every once in a while. He hasn't had to start from scratch since then.

[alfredo]

35. I have no problem unless I try to run a second client. I have a dual

processor machine. What has happened is even though I have one client on ID 1 and the other ID2, they seem to want to both run on 2.

[corporate_mike]

36. Kicked

[alfredo]

38. thanks for

the kick

[corporate_mike]

42. Bump

[corporate_mike]

39. What do you mean by #6?

Also can you post updated graphs?

[alfredo]

41. 267 CPU's ranking - 739

[Mabus]

43. bump

:bounce:

[Wrinkle_In_Time]

44. Count me in for FAH tech support...

I'm running FAH clients on WinXP and Kubuntu Linux. I also tried the Mac OS X client, but it wasn't performing well on my notebook. My wife is also running FAH on WinXP and Kubuntu Linux.

I've tried the GUI clients for Win & OS X and the console clients for Win & Linux (V5.0.2 & 5.0.4), so I can help with switching clients and different operating systems.

One word of advice to anyone who likes to overclock their computer: don't do this while running FAH (the FAH core will likely crash).

/Great post iconoclastNYC

[alfredo]

47. running the CLI client on OSX is pretty easy. Just drop the

executable into the terminal window and hit return. You might have to sudo, but that's no big thing.

Thanks for offering support.

[Wrinkle_In_Time]

48. Thanks for the tip, but...

the GUI client ran really slowly on my PB G4 1.67 (so I'm not sure if the CLI version would be better), the FAH people acknowledge that the clients aren't optimised for anything besides Intel CPUs (our non-Mac CPUs are AMD) and I don't leave my PB running as long as our desktops. I was foolish to try it. Thank goodness I wasn't silly enough to install it on our 12" iBook G4, which is off more than it is on.

The fact that you've been so productive on your Mac(s) is truly admirable. What hardware are you using?

Now, when Apple finally ships the Intel-based Mac Mini media machine, we'll have a Mac ready and running for the task (when it's not PVRing or somesuch).

/Edited for more geekiness.

[alfredo]

50. I'm running old Iron, A 450 Dual G4. I am waiting for a

new Intel Machine too. This one will probably become a Linux box some day.

I have been experimenting, trying to get two clients to run, but I haven't gotten it to work correctly. I had Distributed folding running two clients. I thought I could do it with this project. I've screwed up several WU's. I might not try again until this WU is finished.

I had 61 WU's from my old team.

[alfredo]

45. Bump it up for the Friday night crowd. 270 CPU's rank-718

[Viva_La_Revolution]

46. My son was just Un-grounded from his computer today...

I told him a condition of getting back was to sign up. I'm a bad mommy. :spank:

:)

[clixtox]

49. Good Mommy

You epitomize skilled parenting! Thanks for your recruiting prowess also.

[alfredo]

51. What good is power if you can't abuse it?

Remind him to set it to launch at log in.

[corporate_mike]

52. #711 (with 272 CPUs) -- FREEPers #244 (with 756 CPUs) -- Kos #1,259

[clixtox]

53. Folding Till WE All Reach the Higher Ground

Teachers, keep on teachin'
Preachers, keep on preachin'
World, keep on turnin'
'Cause it won't be to long

Lovers, keep on lovin'
While believers keep on believin'
Sleepers, keep on sleepin'
'Cause it won't be too long

I'm so darn glad he let me try it again
'Cause my last time on Earth I lived in a whole world of sin
I'm so glad that I know more now than I did then
Gonna keep on foldin' till WE all reach the higher ground

[clixtox]

55. Going Down

The Preteen Girl Lovers are the next F@H team that we are going to pass. We will be at 700 then and poised to rise through the 600s and 500s for the rest of February... GO TEAM!!!

[mia]

56. Broke the 700 mark!

Rank 699 with 375 CPUs.
Kos: 1237 (80 CPUs)
:toast:


Freepers: 242 (763 CPUs)

[alfredo]

54. We have passed 42,000 teams. That's the easy part.

[alfredo]

58. 275 CPU's and we have broken into the 600's at

a 695 ranking. Good going DU!!

[mia]

59. Yeah!

We're moving right along.
Join the pep rally.:dem:

[clixtox]

60. Valentines Day will be Extra Sweet

The DU F@H team will jump about 20 places in the team standings on the 14th.
We are on track to be among the top 500 by the end of this month.
We are growing steadily in numbers and computing power.
The top ten protein folders on our team must have a powerful system(s), they are truly carrying the load, my thanks to everyone involved and especially to those folks.
It is uplifting for me to be involved in a project that is doing so extraordinarily great on so many levels!
I am addicted too! As have some other DU brothers and sisters, I will admit it...

[alfredo]

61. It's been a while since I've contributed a work unit, but it appears to

be another big one.

We're doing great. Imagine where we will be one year from now.

[ismnotwasm]

62. Kick

I like all the ideas....

[Vox_Reason]

63. I joined today!

Won't you consider joining too?