1) Yes 2) kind of - if you know how to use the windows scheduler, but it's easy to switch on and off 3) yes 4) no 5) not really, but you can try one work unit & see for yourself
Apart from feeling the need to point out to the people on this forum they should sign up directly with charities, avoiding middle men, as unnecessary (and for many charities as irrelevant) I think your comment above unfairly misinterprets the meaning of comments in this thread. I don't believe that generally people want a personal benefit from assisting either charities directly or Stanford for that matter. I think they want to know that should they commit their resources to this project (whether that is in the life of hardware, utility bills or whatever) that it is with the expectation of realising a worthwhile result for that input. Otherwise why not give to a charity where, if chosen wizely (for topic/utilisation of funds/achievement) as any of you would do if buying a mobo, can give great realisable benefit and often in a very short timeframe. I speak as a former part-time charity volunteer (when I had spare time and yes it cost me money too), one among millions, who got nothing more than the pleasure of making things just that little bit better for something or someone else. A note to the person who rep'd me with a comment, without leaving their name - the need for reward is not the same. I did it because I could, I did it because I felt I should because I could, I did it because it could make a difference, I continue in my own way because I can whilst some others cannot. I did not do it for some form of self-satisfaction or thank you. Ultimately someone has to care, in my opinion, and I do
wow, i knew this will turn ugly, didn't expect it turn so quickly. i did fold quite a lot during 8800GTX and gtx260 days. racked up a lot of points for Novatech team. but those were during 2 summers where i was working and was living in a bills included rented room. problem with folding is that instead of letting computer idle to around 140w (for my machine anyway) it will pull around 450w just for putting GPU and CPU under load. the 300w worth of difference plus no more machine's off time (say on 5 hours a day) => 10kW more power used each day!
LOL I would call it heated opinions myself we all have to make our own minds up based on what we believe to be the right thing and noone should try to influence anyone else. Thats what I think and I will act as I think is right.
Well sadly I have to pay for everything, Around £100 a month for electric so I dont want to pay any more.
This thread is in the wrong sub forum, it should be moved. Or can I post my pro Muslim or pro Communism or pro Gay Rights requests here now?
I tried folding for a little while about 2 years ago, but it didn't grab me I'm afraid. Probably just as well for my electricity bill lol. Pretty sure Bit-tech got my points, pitiful though they were.
So basically: folding will cost you money in electricity but contribute to a good cause. You're call folks.
This is the first 'against' argument that popped into my head. Then there's the "nature's way" argument, depends how you think but if we didnt have disease, death and 3rd world countries etc then we would be facing even bigger problems..... " My muslim gfx card (extreme OC edition) has blown up and taken everything with it" - Sorry, I'll get my coat
I can't help but feel your stance might be a little different if you'd had a family member with Alzheimer's...
I didnt say it was my 'stance' No Alzheimers in my familar but My grandad recently died of a brain tumor (cancerous) grandad on the other side had prostate cancer (treated successfully) stepdad's mum died 2yrs ago of lung cancer F@h may not help these - My wife has Coeliac disease and my daughter whose now "2 1/2yrs old has just finished hospital treatment for supposed kidney problem's from birth. research in one thing often turns out a breakthrough for some other area of research so dont think I am against research at all. definitely not! It was merely a point. for some people they have their faith to deal with losses, some people may simply say it's natures way or everything happens for a reason
i never seen bit so divided over a fairly straight forward matter. folding pros - helps with the whole protein thingy cons - uses more electric, multiplied over the amount of folders not so good for the environment. Either way its win-win whatever you do. Well also lose-lose if your that way inclined.
As I brought up this statement there I'll tell you something... My mother has Multiple Sklerose and still I think that way. I even talk about this thread with her and she herself has the same oppinion about all of this. Better medical treatment doesn't really help us in 50 years to come, when there's approx 9 billion people on this planet with 1/3 of the worlds population starving to death, not having any energy to run electrical lights and no safe place to live in. Better medical treatment is not per se a bad thing to strive for. However there's other more urgent problems to solve first: hunger, energy and climate. These are the priorities and the things we should start a rallying call for before anything else.
+1 much in agreement, not knocking those that do. But in any agreement of handing cash (or leccy bill!) to anybody make sure you know who you paying, there is almost always somebody on the take, money and power corrupts! I pay taxes I pay to my chosen charities and the rest is for me, my family and friends!
I think this thread should be deleted......... and restarted with the focus on the competition side of things and more about it as a hobby. every hobby cost's money in some way and come to think of it every hobby I have done has had some impact on the environment - from petrol to get there, to the manufacture of equipment needed F@H as a hobby is a better way for me to look at it.... I remember when I bought this rig and joined Bit tech, saw the SR2's and wanted!!! if I could afford it I would love the competitive side of folding To give my point some kind of perspective..... I installed and F@h client last and my first Work Unit is a long one and after seeing it at only 50% done when I got up this morning, I wanted to overclock! I think this could be addictive...... until the leccy bill comes and then its simple - I can/cant afford or would rather spend the money on something I like more. sod the science bit, thats just a bi-product lol
I've read this whole thread, and the most important question still hasn't been answered: Has F@H actually provided any medical breakthroughs? Standford have done some impressive stuff, sure - but none of it seems to have come from F@H. All the cancer treatments and breakthroughs I've read in the news have not come from F@H. F@H is effectively the most powerful supercomputer in the world, and it hasn't come up with any breakthroughs whatsoever? It's been going for over a decade, I would have expected at least something to have come from it by now. Unless there's a very compelling argument, I can't see why so many resources worldwide should be put into it. Distributed computing in all it's history doesn't seem to have accomplished anything much more than cracking encryption faster than a traditional supercomputer.
I'm in the field I guess but that isn't really how I see it working. The help knowing interaction and structures of proteins provides is substantial and F@H plays a significant part in that, but it provides lots of little steps, and lots of gradual improvements rather than new headline grabbing medical breakthroughs. Lots of stuff has come from it, don't worry
Like what though? The space program, while not directly accredited did come up with the tech for MRIs. Or the very fun felt tip pen. Loads and loads of things came indirectly from the space program. There's a page on the NASA site somewhere that lists the big stuff as well. There's not even a 'F@H contributed to this' solution from what I can find? Everyone keeps saying 'F@H helps', 'it helps with protein folding'. Well holding a rock in your hand helps, no I can't provide any actual evidence of this.
