[billybob128]

ok not really my place to post here as im not on the team but as you are all such kind people im sure you will help?
i was readin the raven takes the lead in d-fold thread but all i understood in it was there is some type of competition goin on there so could someone clarify this for me and the f@h is it?

+ if i joined the team wats involved?

please excuse my ignorance + intrusion

[DAlex]

Originally posted by billybob128:
ok not really my place to post here as im not on the team but as you are all such kind people im sure you will help?
i was readin the raven takes the lead in d-fold thread but all i understood in it was there is some type of competition goin on there so could someone clarify this for me and the f@h is it?

+ if i joined the team wats involved?

please excuse my ignorance + intrusion

Hi, and welcome - you don't have to be on the team to post - comment and chat is welcomed

The Raven takes the lead posting was highlighting an ongoing struggle between the 'big boys' of the team to see who can remain leading the dfold stats. (big boys is used figuratively as there are some very fast crunching ladies amongst the team *cough* enola *cough*)

if you have specific questions regarding the various distributed computing projects I'm sure some of the experts here can help you, I'm not to good when it comes to the specifics!

If you do join all effort will be gratefully received.

DAlex

[billybob128]

so this leads me to wat is d-fold and the f@h thingie is it like seti or something?

[enola]

Originally posted by billybob128:
so this leads me to wat is d-fold and the f@h thingie is it like seti or something?

Yes in that dFold, F@H and SETI all are distributed computing projects. No in that they deal with a different subject matter entirely. Proteins vs. space aliens. There's plenty of specifc information at each project's web site.

[OneMacGuy]

Originally posted by billybob128:
so this leads me to wat is d-fold and the f@h thingie is it like seti or something?

Did anyone notice that this guy is a rated as a Senior Member? I think that someone is messing with us, like Scott maybe or Reader50? Come on guys, I know that things have been slow lately, but really... You can do better than billybob128!!!

[Scotttheking]

Originally posted by OneMacGuy:
Did anyone notice that this guy is a rated as a Senior Member? I think that someone is messing with us, like Scott maybe or Reader50? Come on guys, I know that things have been slow lately, but really... You can do better than billybob128!!!

He's a real member...

[Shaktai]

Welcome billbob128,

F@H and dfold are like SETI in that they process information for science.

Seti analyzes radio signals, to try to find any sign of other intelligent life in the universe. However there are millions of different kinds of radio signals, so trying to find just one, that might come from intelligent life on another planet, is about like looking for a small needle in a very big hay stack. If one person or one computer were to try it, it would take a very long time. However with many thousands of computers all trying, the chances of finding something are much better.

Folding@home (f@h) tries to understand how and why proteins fold the way they do. This is important, because when a protein doesn't fold right in your body, it leads to disease. Understanding more about how proteins work can help to find better cures and treatments for a lot of diseases. Most of the times proteins fold correctly, but when they don't, then people get sick. Learning how and why they work, will help doctors and scientists find new and better ways to cure the sick and to keep healthy people healthy, so that we can all live better lives. Might even lead to some other good things that aren't related to sickness such as better, stronger plastics, chemicals or other materials.

dFold (distributed folding) does much the same thing as folding@home, but in a different way. It uses the power of thousands of computers, to test all the different ways that a protein might fold, in order to predict how a new protein would fold. If successful, it will really speed up traditional medical and scientific research, so that we can learn faster.

So what we are doing here is donating the use of our computers for science, in the hope that someday we can help make life better for everyone, in one way or another.

We make fun out of it by having competitions. We compete sometimes against each other, but also against other teams. I don't understand all the science, just enough to know that is for a good cause. It might never help me, but maybe it will make life better for our children and grandchildren. The competition makes it fun.

Hope that helps.

[jbcool]

Originally posted by billybob128:
ok not really my place to post here as im not on the team but as you are all such kind people im sure you will help?
i was readin the raven takes the lead in d-fold thread but all i understood in it was there is some type of competition goin on there so could someone clarify this for me and the f@h is it?

+ if i joined the team wats involved?

please excuse my ignorance + intrusion

Hmm ignorance (I'm not buying that one) + intrusion ( I'm not buying that one).

Glad to have you asking questions! Pretty darn smart to ask this great group of people for an answer when you don't know. There were three of us playing a cat and mouse game for the first three spots in the team d-fold project. The big dogs "CobraMac and Mikkyo" were kind enough to let us play for a while before the got off the porch and started running.

Thanks to Shaktai for an excellent explanation.

I think most of us just enjoy the company and the competition that the team has to offer so we hang in there and give out extra CPU cycles away.

f@h is short for "Folding @ Home"
d-fold is short for "Distributed Folding"

Most of what you read in that thread "d-fold takes lead" was just the friendly banter back and forth between the gang.

Come back and visit any time and give us a shout if you need help.

[billybob128]

thanks that has helped mayb ill join up in the week if i get the time

onemacguy like scott said im real as in an individual without other sign up names

again you are all soo kind and good people