When I came to BOINC on 7/22/05 (22/7/05 for the rest of the world) I had been crunching for SETI Classic for six years. I was waiting for the email notice to move to BOINC but when I saw myself suddenly moving up in the team stats I realized a lot of people were moving over. I checked out BOINC and here I am.

When I left Classic I had a rank of 99.018% which is only an indication of the amount of processing power I could afford (or had access to) over the years and the fact that I stuck to it. That ranking shows in my BOINC Synergy sig and it has been going down since I don't crunch there any more and others still do. I am sure the same thing is happening to all who have left Classic totally.

Today it is 99.000% and I felt a twinge of regret as I know it will soon go lower. I even thought of going back to Classic with one machine just to keep my numbers up.

Then I laughed at myself as I realize those numbers are simply a carrot on a stick, something to keep the donkey working hard, trying to get a reward. The sad thing is that the donkey has a chance to slip the harness and actually get his carrot, but ours is only plastic with no real substance. But if ET were to look at the whinning and bickering going on in these forums he would think they had tremendous value.

That is sad.

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David Stites
Pullman, WA USA

Without intentionally being rude; What are you trying to say?
If i interpret correctly you are saying the statistics are only there to goad us into keeping giving up our spare processing cycles to Berkeley with no apparant reward only an endless journey.

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Life on earth is the global equivalent of not storing things in the fridge.

If i interpret correctly you are saying the statistics are only there to goad us into keeping giving up our spare processing cycles to Berkeley with no apparant reward only an endless journey.

That's pretty much the case for many people. Some do this strictly for the science and could care less about the credits. Others do it strictly for the credits and in a few cases, could care less about the science just as long as they get huge amounts of credits for bragging rights. The cast majority of us are a cross, we do it for the science and appriciate the credits but realize the credits are just for fun and nothing else.

If credits suddenly went away today, you'd lose probably half the crunchers out there. Of the remaining, there'd be whining among most but they'd still crunch as long as they had some way of seeing their work making a difference (such as what SZTAKI has done by recognizing those that found important calculations in the 10th level matrix). Would Seti or other project suffer if credits went bye-bye? To an extent but there would still be many willing to donate their spare CPU cycles for a project they believe in.

Credits are completely worthless but have evolved into a fun game in many ways since it does entice you to crunch more so you can pass up someone else and earn some bragging rights so in a sence, they do hold some value although you'll never be able to buy a cup of coffee at a restaurant with them.

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To truly explore, one must keep an open mind...

If credits suddenly went away today, you'd lose probably half the crunchers out there.

I totally agree.

Credits are completely worthless but have evolved into a fun game in many ways since it does entice you to crunch more so you can pass up someone else and earn some bragging rights so in a sence, they do hold some value although you'll never be able to buy a cup of coffee at a restaurant with them.

Calling them credits was probably a bad idea. It infers something which is owed from one to another. If I remember rightly, one credit is equal to a 'standard' Cobblestone which is equivalent to a huge number of floating point operations. Therefore Berkeley owes me some computer time as I have credits with them.
When I was in University, we had to actually pay for computer time at something like $100 per 30 mins of CPU time, and what time you used was deducted from your account.
If I rocked up on Berkeley's doorstep and claimed the use of their computer as I had credit, I would in all probably get the finger, and rightly so.
It may be an endless journey, but personally, I do it for the love of doing something which helps, but also I must admit that the competition value is certainly a draw card. (hence the sig)

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$100 per 30 mins

In what currency?

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$100 per 30 mins

In what currency?

Aussie dollars.
Each user was allocated a certain amount as part of the course. 30 mins was a hell of a lot of processor time. Most jobs took only a few hundred milliseconds.
The scheme doesn't apply anymore as it is all distributed computing now.

The scheme doesn't apply anymore as it is all distributed computing now.

...yes, and now they tell you where to -stick- the carrot... :-O

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Stewie: So, is there any tread left on the tires? Or at this point would it be like throwing a hot dog down a hallway?

Fox Sunday (US) at 9PM ET/PT

The scheme doesn't apply anymore as it is all distributed computing now.

...yes, and now they tell you where to -stick- the carrot... :-O

In the refrigerator I hope ;) LOL :P

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To truly explore, one must keep an open mind...

....

That's pretty much the case for many people. Some do this strictly for the science and could care less about the credits. Others do it strictly for the credits and in a few cases, could care less about the science just as long as they get huge amounts of credits for bragging rights. The cast majority of us are a cross, we do it for the science and appriciate the credits but realize the credits are just for fun and nothing else.

If credits suddenly went away today, you'd lose probably half the crunchers out there. Of the remaining, there'd be whining among most but they'd still crunch as long as they had some way of seeing their work making a difference (such as what SZTAKI has done by recognizing those that found important calculations in the 10th level matrix). Would Seti or other project suffer if credits went bye-bye? To an extent but there would still be many willing to donate their spare CPU cycles for a project they believe in.

Credits are completely worthless but have evolved into a fun game in many ways since it does entice you to crunch more so you can pass up someone else and earn some bragging rights so in a sence, they do hold some value although you'll never be able to buy a cup of coffee at a restaurant with them.

I agree 100% RDC. I'm in this for the science, have been for over 6 years. Sure, it's nice to see the numbers increase, but to me, that's just the payoff knowing that I'm doing some good for the science. Plus, there is the competition factor, but with only one PC currently crunching, plus the fact that I crunch for 5 projects really keeps me out of that fun. How can one PC compete against 127 that someone called NEZ uses to crunch?

Misfit and I have discovered another kind of competition though. We're competing to see who can reach -100 on a single post first. I'm in the lead with -61 so far.... That is if it can be called a lead.... >:-) (-:<

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CAPT Siran d'Vel'nahr - L L & P _\\//
Winders 11 OS? "What a piece of junk!" - L. Skywalker
"Logic is the cement of our civilization with which we ascend from chaos using reason as our guide." - T'Plana-hath

The scheme doesn't apply anymore as it is all distributed computing now.

...yes, and now they tell you where to -stick- the carrot... :-O

Right up the Cropper err Crapper! John....:-)

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Misfit and I have discovered another kind of competition though. We're competing to see who can reach -100 on a single post first. I'm in the lead with -61 so far.... That is if it can be called a lead.... >:-) (-:<

Hey I never said FIRST post! You're cheating!

Misfit and I have discovered another kind of competition though. We're competing to see who can reach -100 on a single post first. I'm in the lead with -61 so far.... That is if it can be called a lead.... >:-) (-:<

Hey I never said FIRST post! You're cheating!

Cheating? I'll you, so stop that...

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The scheme doesn't apply anymore as it is all distributed computing now.

...yes, and now they tell you where to -stick- the carrot... :-O

Right up the Cropper err Crapper! John....:-)

...and if I had a dollar for every time I heard that, I'd have enough to buy you and put you in a Fench Maid outfit....

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Stewie: So, is there any tread left on the tires? Or at this point would it be like throwing a hot dog down a hallway?

Fox Sunday (US) at 9PM ET/PT

Misfit and I have discovered another kind of competition though. We're competing to see who can reach -100 on a single post first. I'm in the lead with -61 so far.... That is if it can be called a lead.... >:-) (-:<

It may be a lead, but many think it's just a load...

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Stewie: So, is there any tread left on the tires? Or at this point would it be like throwing a hot dog down a hallway?

Fox Sunday (US) at 9PM ET/PT

...and if I had a dollar for every time I heard that, I'd have enough to buy you and put you in a Fench Maid outfit....

[font='courier,courier new']That's far more information than I think we needed to know...[/font]

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Misfit and I have discovered another kind of competition though. We're competing to see who can reach -100 on a single post first. I'm in the lead with -61 so far.... That is if it can be called a lead.... >:-) (-:<

Hey I never said FIRST post! You're cheating!

Oh hush, or I'll you.... >:-) (-:<

---

CAPT Siran d'Vel'nahr - L L & P _\\//
Winders 11 OS? "What a piece of junk!" - L. Skywalker
"Logic is the cement of our civilization with which we ascend from chaos using reason as our guide." - T'Plana-hath

Oh hush, or I'll you.... >:-) (-:<

Probably the only time we'll ever hear that used as a threat.

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Life on earth is the global equivalent of not storing things in the fridge.

The scheme doesn't apply anymore as it is all distributed computing now.

...yes, and now they tell you where to -stick- the carrot... :-O

Right up the Cropper err Crapper! John....:-)

...and if I had a dollar for every time I heard that, I'd have enough to buy you and put you in a Fench Maid outfit....

Ohh Please! Hi Sailor...

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Misfit and I have discovered another kind of competition though. We're competing to see who can reach -100 on a single post first. I'm in the lead with -61 so far.... That is if it can be called a lead.... >:-) (-:<

Hey I never said FIRST post! You're cheating!

Oh hush, or I'll you.... >:-) (-:<

You just now figuring out that tactic? ;)

Oh hush, or I'll you.... >:-) (-:<

Probably the only time we'll ever hear that used as a threat.

To you, I say shut up and stay outta things that are of no business of yours! >:-| |-:<

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CAPT Siran d'Vel'nahr - L L & P _\\//
Winders 11 OS? "What a piece of junk!" - L. Skywalker
"Logic is the cement of our civilization with which we ascend from chaos using reason as our guide." - T'Plana-hath