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zombie67 · Jun 18, 2006, 11:56 PM

Before I joined Team MacNN, I spent a bunch of time with SETI classic many years ago. Several months ago, I discovered BOINC and SETI (again). When I first started I was all over the place. I added several more projects, as I learned of them, and added more computers (all macs except for one).

Then I discovered there was such a thing as an optimized worker for macs, with SETI. It allowed me to increase the amount of work my macs could accomplish by an *amazing* amount (thanks alexkan!). I'm not talking about credits, but the amount of actual work over time. And as far as I can tell, none of the other projects have optimized workers for macs (or even windows machines now that crunch3r has left SETI).

So I moved all my machines to SETI. It seemed the right thing to do, even if I was more interested in helping with other projects. Simple decision because it was the most efficient use of my resources. But now I am starting to have second thoughts.

1) *Are* there any other projects with optimized mac workers? Or any for my lone windows machine or my soon-to-be added linux machine?

2) Assuming #1 is "no", what's the right thing to do? I'd like to hear some other opinions.

I guess my point here is that I would like to maximize my contributions, while still contributing to those projects that interest me. So I am looking for information, options, and opinions to help me decide.

Thanks,
Erik

reader50 · Jun 19, 2006, 01:33 AM

Last I checked, Einstein uses an Altivec-optimized worker. Folding work units that use the Gromacs worker also get the Altivec treatment.

beadman · Jun 19, 2006, 08:02 AM

Einstein does have an optimized worker for Macs. I actually get more credits (more work) from Einstein than I do from SETI, and I'm using Alex and Rick's SETI worker. Einstein just changed to a new worker and new set of data (the S5 set), so it's a bit early to tell yet what the steady-state computing output will be. From a few WU that have validated so far, it doesn't appear any slower than before so I'm hopeful.

beadman

arkayn · Jun 19, 2006, 08:15 AM

On my first completed unit for s5 I got 175.76, of course it took 57000 seconds to complete the job.

beadman · Jun 19, 2006, 08:20 AM

That looks about right. My PowerPC machines seem to be receiving around 3 credits for each 1,000 cpu-secs, both on SETI and Einstein. My borrowed MacBook Pro is getting 5 credits on SETI and 8 credits on Einstein for each 1,000 cpu-secs.

beadman