Four Laws of Distributed Computing

Rudy Toody

Diamond Member
Sep 30, 2006
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First: The longest work unit always lands on the slowest computer.

Second: A power outage only happens while crunching non-check-pointing work units.

Third: Things that can go wrong, will go wrong.

Fourth: Every system upgrade results in an equal and opposite system failure.

Fourth (Inverse): Every system failure results in an equal or greater system upgrade.
 
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Rudy Toody

Diamond Member
Sep 30, 2006
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I have changed the title of Toody's Law to indicate that it is a law of distributed computing.

This way, when I come up with more laws, you can differentiate among them. And FMC can cite them in his homework without confusion!
 
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jonesthewine

Senior member
Dec 30, 2003
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yes...case in point, a 50+ hour WCG WU lands not on either of my new quads or on even on an E7200 but on the slowest AMD dual-core 4200+...
 

TonyH

Elite Member
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Jan 20, 2000
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I guess I should find comfort in the fact that these things happen to other people too. ;)
 

Fullmetal Chocobo

Moderator<br>Distributed Computing
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May 13, 2003
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I have changed the title of Toody's Law to indicate that it is a law of distributed computing.

This way, when I come up with more laws, you can differentiate among them. And FMC can cite them in his homework without confusion!

I'd still quite possibly be confused. But that's okay. Keeps more entertaining this way.
 

GLeeM

Elite Member
Apr 2, 2004
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My video card just went to 2D speed (thus cutting in half that production) and I don't want to reboot and chance losing a 56,000 point CPU WU that has been crunching for over two days and will finish in five hours :(
 

petrusbroder

Elite Member
Nov 28, 2004
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Both Laws of Distributed Computing are fully supported by all the three Laws of Thermodynamics; especially the second ...

This indicates, but it needs to be proven, that the Laws of Distributed Computing are laws of nature and thus have a similar impct.
 

petrusbroder

Elite Member
Nov 28, 2004
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Fred, time to update the first post with two new laws: Soggy's law and Fardringle's law.
I second those out of experience ... ;)
 

theAnimal

Diamond Member
Mar 18, 2003
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My video card just went to 2D speed (thus cutting in half that production) and I don't want to reboot and chance losing a 56,000 point CPU WU that has been crunching for over two days and will finish in five hours :(

I've lost 2 of those after 2 days crunching, so I know what you mean. Although I find the 1.0 image has been pretty good for rebooting.
 

Ken g6

Programming Moderator, Elite Member
Moderator
Dec 11, 1999
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Every system upgrade results in an equal and opposite system failure.
With this I disagree. My experience is roughly the converse:

Every system failure results in an equal or greater system upgrade. ^_^
 

petrusbroder

Elite Member
Nov 28, 2004
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With this I disagree. My experience is roughly the converse:

Every system failure results in an equal or greater system upgrade. ^_^

In my opinion and experience both sets of this law apply:

First there is a system failure, then you search for problems, then you upgrade the computer.
 

PCTC2

Diamond Member
Feb 18, 2007
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Amen. A computer left unattended will probably fail. And brownout your apartment/house.