lots of questions and suggestion for folding@home

[whocrazy]

Hello there.
Is it possible in the future for folding@home to be designed so you can actually choose which project you want to do instead of being assigned one at random? I.E, can one elect to only get project 2494 work units?

[RAH]

No!

[Baowoulf]

Hello there.
Is it possible in the future for folding@home to be designed so you can actually choose which project you want to do instead of being assigned one at random? I.E, can one elect to only get project 2494 work units?

No, what you are describing is called "Cherrypicking WU's". Not only is it frowned upon it can slow down the F@H process limiting the amount of WU's for other people as well. I know what you are thinking trying to find the best way to get points but the WU's and points are scaled against a test computer. So usually WU length to completion vs points given is usually balanced. Even thou quicker WU's may give smaller points they can be done faster then big points and big size WU's.

I look at this way, since I really like this project, I prefer doing a wide range of WU's compared to ones that would give me mega points. I'm still competive and want points but that is on my shoulders to get a valid setup where I can try out all the clients on the best hardware so I can have access to all projects and be competive.

[7im]

I do like the idea of being able to work on projects related to a specific disease, but there are those people who would twist that same feature to simply chase points, and WUs would be left undone, or processed in an order that is not optimal for the project. Pande Group determines the WU assignments to best move the science of the project forward. Allowing people to pick a project would slow everything down, and some necessary work would go unfinished.

[Baowoulf]

I do like the idea of being able to work on projects related to a specific disease, but there are those people who would twist that same feature to simply chase points, and WUs would be left undone, or processed in an order that is not optimal for the project. Pande Group determines the WU assignments to best move the science of the project forward. Allowing people to pick a project would slow everything down, and some necessary work would go unfinished.

What if turning on that option gave less or no points and it was more for people who are like you may have a reason for a specific project. Like if someone had a family member who died or was afflicted with a diease that the project looked into? I'd be willing to do that type of work and for people who can't afford to have big folding farms it might let them feel like they are contributing more then say a big time folder could because it's 0 points but the project has a more centralized goal in mind.

[bruce]

What if turning on that option gave less or no points and it was more for people who are like you may have a reason for a specific project. Like if someone had a family member who died or was afflicted with a diease that the project looked into? I'd be willing to do that type of work and for people who can't afford to have big folding farms it might let them feel like they are contributing more then say a big time folder could because it's 0 points but the project has a more centralized goal in mind.

That's an interesting suggestion and as far as I know, you're the first one to suggest such an option. I'll pass it on.

The Pande Group, of course, makes their own decisions about what features to add or not to add, but I do know that their first criteria is whether it will result it more science being done compared to what would be done without the feature. This one focuses more on Donor satisfaction than scientific production, but that's part of their decision process, too. Happy donors do recruit their friends.

[theteofscuba]

What about cherry picking disease (or other objective) without being able to cherry pick the actual project numbers for that disease?

[k1wi]

I'm not entirely sure I want to be able to 'choose' the specific disease, but then I don't fold because I've had someone close to me afflicted by a particular folding-targeted disease, so I can see why some people would.

I guess part of the reason for my position is that I'd be nervous about people being able to choose because it may lead to some less well known, less understood or generally 'low profile' diseases being shunned (even if not deliberately) by the folding community. This could lead to some research being slowed down or even perhaps stalled. Particularly if it then requires PG to need to focus more on 'marketing' the relative science of the different disease projects rather than simply determining the scientific value internally and getting the job done...

The other part is that I think solving particular diseases is only one of Folding's goals and a long term one at that. Improving the science behind the understanding of molecular biology is a just as important, while being a continuous aim. In essence what I'm saying is that folding any project should help improve the science behind the understanding of molecular biology and that will in turn, help all the other projects.

[Baowoulf]

Well it would be in control of Pande Group if they ever decide to do anything like that. I doubt it would be in the best interest of the project if we picked WU's of the dieseases we wanted. Sometimes discoveries in one area will affect others. More likely it would be WU's of their choosing with them letting us know what types of stuff the WU's would be researching.

Maybe they might be longer or shorter then normal or be in such a way that is beneficial to the project but not necessarily to points. Personally I know the smp/gpu clients might be better for points. But the nerd in me wants to have access to work on all projects. I'm not ready yet but I was thinking of asking about such thing. Like the best setup for having at least one of each client, with the correct flags and stuff to be able to run any WU. Then when I'm able to have at least one of each client optimized the best I can then pay attention to points.

I even have one of those empty journals where I keep a record of each WU I do then cross it off when finished for fun. I still need to try FAHmon or another one of those programs so I can get a time of completetion again like they had in version 5.

[theteofscuba]

it just seems to me that if the contribution was large enough, like an Alzheimer's group offering an insane amount of computing power if it was used for alzheimers research only, for example. would be a good thing. this way there isn't any neglect for other disease by the general folding@home userbase. an exception to the rule so to speak.

[whocrazy]

thats the trouble, you are not me, you don't know what I am thinking. in no way was I trying to find the best way to get more points, I was simply wondering if say fah was running a project that dealt with the proteins involved in say mental illness, then I could elect to do only that project.
I dont really care much for the points system, thats not what I'm about, I concentrate on trying to help find treatments for diseases and other illnesses, not on racking up as many points as possible.

[7im]

All WUs go towards helping find treatments for diseases, so if that is the only criteria, then you're covered.

[k1wi]

thats the trouble, you are not me, you don't know what I am thinking.

I'm not sure who this was aimed at?

[Baowoulf]

thats the trouble, you are not me, you don't know what I am thinking. in no way was I trying to find the best way to get more points, I was simply wondering if say fah was running a project that dealt with the proteins involved in say mental illness, then I could elect to do only that project.
I dont really care much for the points system, thats not what I'm about, I concentrate on trying to help find treatments for diseases and other illnesses, not on racking up as many points as possible.

If this is directed at me then my apologies. I wasn't trying to act like you only cared about points. Not that there is anything wrong with the want to be competive. I was just giving a general statement about points in case points were an important factor in F@H for you. Sometimes it's easy to give the wrong impression in a forum. Don't want to push anyone away from wanting to fold. The more the merrier.

[whocrazy]

I have another question, can the folding @home cuda program be made to work on all projects, like the normal folding@home application program can do?