Folding@Home

Thought I'd re-write this topic so it makes more sense, and hopefully more people will understand and get involved. If you're reading this please don't stop here, read the entire topic and give a hand. Please don't make a mess and post a lot of crap. Cheers =)

For those who have no idea what folding@home is (which I'm sure is the vast majority), here's an explanation:

Folding@Home is a software application which when run, builds a network which connects your computer to the other folding@home users, and the software's mainframe. Each individual computer will run either it's own simulations, or connect with other computers and run simulations of Protein Folding, and send the results of that simulation to the mainframe. This network creates one of the largest supercomputers in the world to complete these simulations and calculations.

What is Protein?

Proteins are a fundamental part of any biology and for any organism to survive. Proteins are what "do the work" in an organism, for human's proteins are used:

- For the building and repair of body tissues.
- For the production of enzymes, hormones, and other substances the body uses.
- To regulate body processes, such as water balancing, transporting nutrients, and making muscles contract.
- To keep the body healthy by resisting diseases that are common to malnourished people.
- To Prevent one from becoming easily fatigued by producing stamina and energy.

What is Protein Folding?

Protein folding is the process in which proteins assemble themselves or "fold" into their "three-dimensional structure" in order to work and carry out their functions. When proteins do not fold properly, diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, many Cancers. When proteins misfold, they can "clump" together in the brain and cause the problems and diseases aforementioned.

Protein folding is extremely difficult to understand because the process of protein folding takes about a microsecond (one millionth of a second). A CPU in a computer will take a day to simulate a nanosecond (one billionth of a second), where a protein folds in about 1000 to 10,000 nanoseconds, which will mean it will take 10,000 (close to 30 years) days to simulate one fold.

Folding@Home currently uses well over 100,000 CPUs and distributes the work to all of them, meaning a fold can be simulated in a microsecond (which means a folding simulation takes a millionth of second [a microsecond]). By running this application you will help toward the understanding of Protein Folding, which can lead to the possible cures or preventions of the various diseases protein misfolding causes.

For more information: http://folding.stanford.edu/English/Science

Quick FAQ

CPU Usage:
Yes, folding@home will attempt to use up every bit of the CPU available, but you can easily restrict the percentage of available CPU

PS3 Users
Yes folding@home no longer exists under network, it has however been replaced by Life With Playstation, where you will still contribute to folding, there are just more features available.

I need to switch my computer off, will my simulation work be lost
Your processor will automatically save your simulation work every 15 minutes (this can be changed in settings)


Feel free to join the JK2 folding group: 111174
To do this, right-click the folding@home system tray icon, click configure, Under username enter a username (preferably your JK2 name so we know who you are), and under Team number enter 111174
You can view the groups' stats at http://fah-web.stanford.edu/cgi-bin/main.py?qtype=teampage&teamnum=111174 where you can see Raschu and Jacheduli have previously contributed.

Quick explanation of the table:

Rank within team is pretty self explanatory, whoever has done the most workloads (or simulations) is at the top and then follows in order.
Donor is the name of the person contributing
Points are calculated by the work units a CPU can handle, and the speed which they can run the work unit
e.g. Jach has completed 13 Work Units, I have completed 4, however our points are almost the same, this is because I run folding@home on PS3, which can run work units faster and better.
WU is the amount of Work Units completed by the Donor.


Downloads for Windows, Linux, Mac: http://folding.stanford.edu/English/Download


I hope everyone who reads this will contribute.

Thanks for your time

Re-Edited.

Start contributing, people.

I'm not into this sorry

Larry, what the fuck is this shit?

Does this consume much bandwidth?

I've joined now with the GPU3 Client, it really speeds things up using the GPU with the CPU. It can be as much as 20-40 times faster than just the CPU alone.

Xavior wrote:I've joined now with the GPU3 Client, it really speeds things up using the GPU with the CPU. It can be as much as 20-40 times faster than just the CPU alone.

Roger

1 Jacheduli Score 1235 WU 13
2 Gringo Score 1011 WU 4
3 Xavior Score 511 WU 1
4 Raschu Score 492 WU 3


Thats 3.4 hours of work, its fast as hell!

Thank you Xav for you contributions.

Boomlala wrote:Does this consume much bandwidth?

If you're talking about bandwidth as in, how much will it decrease the speed of my net when running:

None: It downloads a work unit approximately 250-500 KB in size, starts the simulation (using no bandwidth, just your CPU or GPU), and then uploads the results in about 2.5 MB.

Over the course of one hour, how much data is transferred? I'm living on Belgian internet here.

It's not per hour because it only downloads and uploads when you start and finish a work unit.

need more contributors ...

Sooo, what's this shit good for, exactly?

loled...at xris post

u see xris they're making skynet. soon terminators will rule the world.

Skynet is a Belgian ISP.

daryo wrote:

u see xris they're making skynet. soon terminators will rule the world.

I knew it.

Finally.

It has started^^