Folding@Home

[biggiy05]

I am not sure who knows what F@H is but for those who don't you can read up on it here. (http://folding.stanford.edu/)

I was thinking about starting an AGN folding team. There are enough active members on here and I am sure that some leave their computers on all the time. The program runs in the backgound and doesn't bog any programs down.

If there is enough interest I will get a team setup. I will have to get in touch with one of my friends about making a sig with stats for those who want a sig.

Anyone interested?

[Rainman]

I'm already on the Something Awful team so I can't join any AGN team. Actually I haven't been running it because it's been acting funny for a while. I should probably get back into it.

[Archibaldo]

How about you explain what F@H is to those who don't know. And fill them in on the details. (When I say "those who don't know" I mean me)

[Rainman]

You can read up on it from the link in the first post. Basically it uses thousands of individual computers (owned by people like us or companies) to process a large amount of data at a time. There have been several other programs that used the same concept. Folding@home process information on protein folding. The way a protein folds affects dramatically what properties it has. This kind of research has a good chance of resulting in some kind of treatment or even a cure for various diseases.

[Archibaldo]

Oh shit, didn't notice that there was a link in the first post.

Ok, I read up on it. I don't think I'd be able to run it because theres always some one using the computer and so people would just keep closing it.

Also, I don't see how running a program on your computer can help figt desieses(sp?)

[biggiy05]

Oh shit, didn't notice that there was a link in the first post.

Ok, I read up on it. I don't think I'd be able to run it because theres always some one using the computer and so people would just keep closing it.

Also, I don't see how running a program on your computer can help figt desieses(sp?)

They would never notice it. It runs silently in the background like aim or yahoo but nothing shows up. You can turn the screensaver for it on or off and you check the stats by clicking on the gear.

[ShadowTiger]

They would never notice it. It runs silently in the background like aim or yahoo but nothing shows up. You can turn the screensaver for it on or off and you check the stats by clicking on the gear.You know, .. you'd think. o.o' If my dad found out that I had allowed some company to invisibly use our PC to perform calculations, linked with the rest of the world, AND kept our already old PC on 24/7, ... he'd probably do something like ... literally explode. :odd:

It is a noble cause though. Best of luck to those people who are able to run it without getting their other family members all paranoid and such. :p

[algam86]

I might be able to...if my parents weren't so cheap. And if my computer didn't suck so much. I mean, I'm realy the only one who even knows HOW to use a computer, so no problems there. I would, but I neither have the money, patient parents, or computer necessary. Sorry.

I might be getting a new computer soon, so when and if I get one, I'll see if I can't make my parents reconsider. Maybe give them 20 bucks to pay for the extra electricity.

[gdorf]

I folded a lot for another forum I go to. I just recently stopped because I got a laptop and sold my desktop. Its for a great cause, and there is really no reason not to. It doesn't slow down your computer a bit. :shrug:

edit: looks like I still have my folding@home banner in my sig. cool.

[slothman]

I have it on right now.
I would therefore be interested.
I could even put it on the various other computers like my parents.

[biggiy05]

I need some more people interested before I register a team.

[KingArthur]

So basically its like SETI... but with a less sci-fi goal?

[slothman]

Yes. Except this might actually help someone.
Seti might not find anything at all.
This probably will, eventually.