Project Priorities

[scoser]

Here are my thoughts on the current state of program participation for the TeAm. I would suggest we focus on rallying in the following projects in order with notes.

1. D2OL: We just lost 1st place to the DPC. We can either fight like hell to keep #1 or be happy with second and redistribute some power to other projects.

2. SoB: We have a heck of a lead now in SoB, so it's not an uber-priority like D2OL, but we are being massively outproduced, which is closing that lead quickly.

3. Lifemapper: We're currently on pace to pass every team ahead of us in a year or two, but with increased production, we could cut this significantly.

4. F@H: We have a chance to overcome some teams, and keep ahead of others with some extra production here.

5. MD5CRK, Eon, DHEP, ZetaGrid, FaD, TSC: Smaller programs (in terms of TeAm participation) that a computer or ten could really make a difference for the team with.


Now, easing our production off of a couple of projects. I'm not saying that you have to leave, but if you're on the following teams and would be willing to switch to another project to help the team do good in other projects, that would be great. In these projects, the TeAm's positions seem fairly secure.

1. DPAD: We have completely overpowered the other teams here and hold a commanding lead with noone currently being close to being a threat.

2. SETI: We currently have a stable and fairly significant lead over BBR, and S@NL is about matching us in production and is about 600 K ahead of us.


I'm not exactly sure on most of the other projects out there and how the TeAm is faring as far as gaining or losing ground to other teams, so if anyone else has any commments about them, feel free to add them.

Also, I guess that these are just my thoughts, so take them as you will.

 

[GeoffS]

Great idea! You have to keep in mind that people generally do a project that appeals to them for one reason or another and will generally fall into one of four categories:

[*]They do a project for personal reasons,
[*]They do a project for the stats,
[*]They do a project because they just like the project,
[*]They do any project that the TeAm needs them to do.

The majority I imagine fall into categories 1, 2 & 3, meaning getting them to move to another project may be difficult, especially if they are in 2 and have been doing the project for a long time... it's hard to give up a top 10 position in the overall standings to start over from scratch in another project.

My $0.02.

Anyone who wants to help us battle the cows on the D2OL front will be remembered and the favour will be returned!

Geoff

 

[amdxborg]

Hey scoser, some great thoughts you've got there! Sounds like a very good idea.

 

[Baldy18]

Makes sense to me. I think of us as one team and not many teams that share the same name and forum.

 

[n0cmonkey]

I'm currently running md5crk, SoB, lifemapper, and F@H. I'll be trying to split them up in a more efficient manner soon, so hopefully some of my stats will go up.

I need more computers.

 

[MournSanity]

IMO, I think we should concentrate our efforts on D2OL and Lifemapper right now.

How many TA people run SETI, and how many of those do you think will take up new projects after SETI ends?

 

[Mardeth]

Forgot Climateprediction.net

 

[kloostec]

No one mentioned United Devices... just thought I'd plug that a bit

We're currently 16th, and slipping. Any help would be nice!

 

[CyGoR]

Originally posted by: kloostec
No one mentioned United Devices... just thought I'd plug that a bit

We're currently 16th, and slipping. Any help would be nice!

Yes, please don't forget TeAm Anandtech Second largest DC project!
Since the past few weeks we've received some new members and only a few
are making a huge difference! Last year whe have lost our biggest producing member (mheroux) after
which the team is slipping slowly down the rankings. Don't confuse, nr. 16 worldwide is a very good achievement in this project!

I will be making a FAQ and such for the project in the next few weeks because this team really needs some help! The cause is, just like D2OL, F@H etc a very good one..

Currently there are 863 members from which 104 are retired (meaning they have left Anandtech but there points will stay.)

Thanks very much for your efforts Scoser!

[edit]
Swapped a machine to D2OL for 12/7
[/edit]

 

[MechEng]

I will dedicate my main rig to D2OL for some time...

Allthough I will loose some ground in lifemapper/DPAD

 

[Unforgiven]

all projects should carry equal weight. to single out those in more "need" than others is not fair to the other projects that people participate in that arent even listed....thats just my 2 cents on "prioritizing" projects.

 

[Shame]

Originally posted by: Unforgiven
all projects should carry equal weight. to single out those in more "need" than others is not fair to the other projects that people participate in that arent even listed....thats just my 2 cents on "prioritizing" projects.

That would explain why we are warming the #2 spot in D2OL at the moment...

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: Unforgiven
all projects should carry equal weight. to single out those in more "need" than others is not fair to the other projects that people participate in that arent even listed....thats just my 2 cents on "prioritizing" projects.

I see it as more of a call for help for the projects listed. Switch if you want. If you don't want to, that's great. It's all for Team Anandtech.

You've got your favorite project, crunch away! I'll be crunching on one of the "lower priority" projects myself. In fact, I'll probably be dedicating atleast my fastest machine to it (not sure if I'll drop one of the other projects to work on it yet or not). But it's good to know how the other parts of the team are doing.

I was thinking about it before this thread was posted. One of the reasons I like Team Anandtech is because it does have a semi-chaotic "do what you want" feel. We don't specialize, and manage to compete all over the place.

But I also like the idea of people switching projects to helpl out whichever one needs it the most.

But Team Anandtech definitely seems to be about "do what's fun for you."

 

[GeoffS]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
<snip>
But Team Anandtech definitely seems to be about "do what's fun for you."

Yep... that's what I like about it too!

Geoff

 

[Rilescat]

Originally posted by: hypersonic5
IMO, I think we should concentrate our efforts on D2OL and Lifemapper right now.

How many TA people run SETI, and how many of those do you think will take up new projects after SETI ends?

IF Seti ends

 

[BlackMountainCow]

I just switched my last machine from DPAD to Lifemapper ... I've had it with that project.

 

[grendel8]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
I see it as more of a call for help for the projects listed. Switch if you want. If you don't want to, that's great. It's all for Team Anandtech.

I've got to agree with n0c on this one. While it's great to solicit volunteers when you're hurting, getting an organized effort to move people from one project to the next as necessary will be difficult at best.

With that said, getting a few volunteers for a small project can make a 'huge' difference. I've recently moved most of my fleet from SETI to FaD and been able to help a great deal in helping to regain 17th in the standings. With a few more volunteers, we might even be able to hold off DPC, who's nipping at our heels (shameless plug).

 

[Ross Whitehead]

I've recently moved most of my fleet from SETI to FaD and been able to help a great deal in helping to regain 17th in the standings. With a few more volunteers, we might even be able to hold off DPC, who's nipping at our heels (shameless plug).

More shameless plugs for FaD...

grendel8 has quickly moved into the top 3 producers in FaD... and he warns he is going to take top spot! Not only has he helped us regain 17'th place, but we should be taking 16'th place in the next 5 days or so.

Currently the FaD TeAm is in the top 10 producers, we just have some catching up to do. DPC is currently out producing us 4:1, granted they are in 24'th place but at their current rate they are going to pass us in no tiume.

 

[zodder]

How many TA people run SETI, and how many of those do you think will take up new projects after SETI ends?

I'm definitely going to explore other DC projects when SETI ends.

 

[n0cmonkey]

No one take my post as a reason not to try and organize a roving band of DC pirates, stealing rankings from the other teams and returning them to their rightful place with AT, please. I think it's a great idea personally. But we have to maintain that "sit back, have fun :beer:" attitude.

:moon::sleep;:moon:

 

[scoser]

Yeah, basically what I was trying to get to was the people that aren't tied to any particular project, but enjoy helping out the team and the excitement of a race to rise to the top or the battle for a spot. I just decided to identify a few of the projects that I was more familiar with (as per the disclaimer about my lack of knowledge in the others at the end of my post) that if people were interested in, they could really help out the TeAm in.

Take my case for an example as some of the other types of DCers. After going teamless when I ran SETI and D.net (later switching my results to the TeAm), I found Find-a-Drug and joined up with Team XPC after glancing through various message boards for teams, looking for one that was really pumped about FaD. Later on, I discovered that my interest in distributed computing wasn't limited to one project, and I started hanging out here (Anandtech) more and more for news and views on other projects. I like to run projects for the TeAm on computers that I can't run FaD on, but right now, most of my loyalty goes to XPC as I started out there and we're in a furious battle with the behemoth TSC - Russia for first in FaD, so I understand the position of the people that have a dedication to a certain project.