RC5 is a waste. SETI, a little less so since the remote possibility of finding a signal exists

[Locutus of Board]

Why is it other Distributed computing solutions do not exist yet?

Cancer research data.
Genome data.
There would be a multiple of possibilities.

What would you like to see?

 

[bigbootydaddy]

iron helps us play

 

[CinderElmo]

Pioneer Cancer Cracking software

There is a cancer research cracker...been doing it for a while. Seems like a worthwhile cause.

I was gung-ho on RC5 for a long time...but then realized the same thing...it is kind of a waste of time (for me). I would rather do something that benefits someone.

 

[Ladi]

United Devices not only has drawings for people who contribute, but you can work on problems such as cancer and DNA research. (<plug>And if you join, my nick on it is LadiX for referral-type-stuff </plug> )

~Ladi

 

[Locutus of Board]

Glad I started the topic.

Thanks CinderElmo and Ladi!

 

[fir3wir3]

Cinderelmo

how's that plexi-case work for ya?

I'm thinking about buying some plexi-glass to make my own...just havent gotten around to it yet

 

[xtreme2k]

Yep

guys at anandtech are the 'TOP' time waster by running RC5. Is that sad. Even more sad is that they are even 'recruiting', getting even more people to waste their time.

Seriously, RC5 is an outdated encryption algorithm.

 

[Relf Lauren]

Locutus of Board, I am glad you brought up this topic...I too believe there are more worthwhile causes out there...I had a BIG list of other worthwhile cracking causes...I will go and find that list, and post back later...

Relf Lauren

 

[Imaginer]

Thanks for the heads up Ladi and Locutus. Now if my new machine gets here, it's downtime will definitely be devoted to a cause more worthwhile than just encryption but for other reasons too.

Oh and about United Devices, do they have a variety of things to compute for or just for cancer?

 

[charrison]

Call me biased....
Distributed Science aka dcypher.net

We are currently working on modeling better storage containers for nuclear waste containers.

 

[EmperorNero]

http://www.nyx.net/~kpearson/distrib.html


here's a comprehensive list of distributed computing projects. go to the bottom of the page and click &quot;active projects&quot;.

 

[dennilfloss]

rc5 is fun and thus no more of a waste of time than Q3 or UT. Not everything in life has to be useful. I certainly see no use in you being so ugly, yet I accept it as fun. rc5 is like music to me.

Take A Picture (Filter)

 

[EmperorNero]

dennil, like locutus of board, I do distributed computing (mainly dcypher, popular power, and SETI - in that order) because it can be helpful to others. but you do have a good point: I don't have room criticizing others for running rc5 because I could be helping others even more if I'm not playing UT.
but why do you consider rc5 fun but not seti? the competition is there, the anandtech community is there also.

 

[dennilfloss]

...&quot;why do you consider rc5 fun but not seti?&quot;

Please do not place words in my mouth. I did not say anything about SETI. Unlike some people, I am promoting one distributed computing project but I am not putting down the others. I don't like negativity. I started in rc5 and that's what I will concentrate on until it's over, including recruiting to the very end. Then I will evaluate what project would be more appealing to me. Until then, I am simply not concerned with them. But I am not putting them down or questioning the choice made by ones who adopt these projects as rewarding undertakings.

Negativity is simply petty in my opinion.

Taking Turns (Barney)

 

[Phiton]

Many of us came to Anand's site to join a community of computer performance enthusiasts. Some became involved in these distributed computing projects at first to stress test our machines. Believe me, RC-5 and Seti@home both provide some very rigorous workouts for our systems. In doing so, we have developed a comradship and team spirit that is hard to find on-line or down town in many cases. Join us if you like, we would be glad to have you. If not, go ahead and run whatever DC project that pleases you. Rest assured that we are an open minded bunch and will not put you down either way.

Phiton

 

[kami]

stats. 'nuff said.

 

[JimMc]

<<guys at anandtech are the 'TOP' time waster by running RC5>>

Hmmm, not a total waste of time, xtreme2k, one of the RC5 mini teams was the inspiration for that fine looking icon you use .


<<RC5 is an outdated encryption algorithm. >>

Yeah, that's probably right but is also somewhat immaterial; I do it for the competition, stats, new learnings and the folks over at the DC forum. I could care less about 64 bit encryption. To reiterate what df said, I'm not down on anyone for choosing to do more &quot;socially redeeming&quot; projects, it's a free country... I don't, however, really understand why people are so negative about RC5 recruiting efforts, we're just trying to stay #1.

Why not try it for a couple of weeks and if you don't like it, Windows has a painless &quot;add/remove software&quot; button .

 

[xtreme2k]

I know know why I am so negative about RC5 and yet, I am running it myself

 

[Entity]

<< Negativity is simply petty in my opinion. >>



Whatever. If I wanted to hear your opinion, I'd tell it to you. Now go away.


































Sorry, just had to be ironical for once. I'm tired.

Rob

 

[PeterN]

Another thought worth considering:

If the RC5-64 project is done with, what will happen to all the computing power, gathered by our team? Will it be lost after the project?
I don't think TA-members will say goodbye to the phenomenon of Distributed Computing afterwards.

Just think of the possibilities, if all the computing power now put on RC5-64, is converted to other project, worthwhile or not.

For me, I started with RC5-64 a long time ago and will stick with it, until it is done.
Why not join and help ending the project much sooner? That way, other projects will then get more power.

When RC5-64 is over, I'll concentrate on OGR and Seti. GammaFlux (radioactive waste research) also has my attention. If the clients of the other projects (PopPow, UD, Folding, RAL a.e.) are behaving as nice as the DNet client, then they are worth considering. But, IMO, they have to many discrepancies in them right now.

 

[networkman]

I know that our S@H team is really hoping that some of the current RC5 folks will consider joining that project once the current RC5 project is completed.

As for RC5 being a waste, I don't think so. I'll grant that it's not my project of choice, but one thing going for the RC5 project is that there IS a solution AND a reasonable expectation of when the project will be completed! Consider SETI.. we don't know if we'll ever find an ET signal, and thus it's likely the project may NEVER end! Heck, even if(when) we do find an alien signal, the project will surely continue anyway, albeit probably with a much greater interest.

 

[JHutch]

The thing you have to remember about RC5 is that it was one of the first. RC5 is the project that broke the ground and showed that Internet based distributed computing was a viable endeavour. Without RC5, things like SETI@Home probably wouldn't have happened. Plus, RC5 has some of the best tools and has seen (and dealt with) some of the big problems associated with distributed computing. This is the project that showed the way.

RC5 is largely irrelevant just from a &quot;cracking a code&quot; point of view. And that is why there won't be another RC5 contest for longer keyspaces. However, this contest was started over 3 years ago, when RC5 was the only kid on the block (except for a few SMALL projects). Now, most of us that have been in the contest for a long time simply want to see it through. We've put a lot of time and effort into this and want to see the successful completion of the challenge.

For people new to distributed computing, I encourage you to investigate the other projects out there. If RC5 doesn't tickle your fancy, and something else, like Folding@home or DCypher's Gamma Flux projects do ... heh, go with what makes you happy!

Always remember, though, there is a Team Anandtech team for all these projects and we could always use (and greatly appreciate) your help!

JHutch

 

[Playitagainsam]

OK, so who in here, at Anandtech, is doing SETI?

I'm really curious!

 

[networkman]

/me raises hand - I am!

Actually, for the month of January, I'm crunching RC5 units as a favor to our RC5 team, but I'll be back at it[SETI] in February. Currently, I'm ranked at 15th place on our TA Team with 7,058 work units completed!

 

[Emos]

I've been running SETI for a little over a year now...crunched close to 500 WU so far. Even though I've been having fun with it so far, I might see if there is another project that I can sign up for that may prove to be a greater benefit. Does the Human Genome Project have anything similar to Seti@Home?