[reader50]

I posted a list of future site upgrades in another thread, pretty much a wish list for the next few months. That thread went sideways, but some good points came up. People want upgrades and more stats, so what should we do next? Here is the current list, mostly in order of what has been in planning the longest:[list=1][*]Create missing Optimization / Hiding pages on Ubero, Folding, dFold. Ubero is low-priority now because the client may change drastically with the next release.[*]Add Genome stats & pages ahead of the Mac client. Already happening for basic stats, but we could do Ranks and some Resource pages too.[*]Rewrite Personals module. Would fix several minor glitches (inaccurate rates until you have been here a week), and add cool new features like production tables. Personal Graphs not possible at the moment because the GD image library is not present on the MacNN server. Yet.[*]Beef up duplicate membername resolution on all projects (RC5 not affected). Current stats do not allow duplicates to pass each other. This affects only duplicates, mostly jbigas (unlisted membernames).[*]Multiple Ranks runs per day on Scott's box, with modified current code. This would be hard to maintain data integrity for, but could make 2-4 Ranks updates per day possible. Downside: lots more free time required to set up and maintain, this would push back some backend rewrites that would make hourly Ranks updates possible.[*]Convert our backend into database format, virtually required for stable hourly updates of all stats and Ranks.[*]Move all stats to one-hour update schedule (current stats would remain on 15-minute schedule). #6 required first.[*]Add more projects. There are at least two projects with Mac clients that we do not currently support.[*]Add SkiBikeSki's OS / CPU benchmark page to the site.[*]Build web-submit codebase so multiple people can post news updates. This codebase would have other uses too, such as updates to #9.[*]Integrate RC5 and SETI proxy data into our stats. #6 recommended first, otherwise #3 required.[*]Build Scott's ministats box at the top of the Forum. This isn't too hard, but has a few early requirements, stuff that may not currently be installed on the servers.[*]Unified Personal stats, your stats from all the projects you participate in on a single page. Very complicated to set up, may require login and passwords. #6 and #3 virtually required first.[*]Rewrite Team Ranks modules to give more data, mainly the Joins / Departs per day from each team, and production tables / graphs for each team. These would appear in a pop-up window, by clicking on the team's rank number. Graphs might require the GD library be present on the server.[/list=a]Pick the ones that are the most interesting, bearing in mind that some upgrades require (or recommend) other upgrades first. Additional suggestions are welcome, want a feature not listed? Describe it, see if anyone else votes for it.

If no one votes any changes, I'll wander through the list, most of those upgrades will show over the next several months. Some might not turn up this year, other new features may turn up sooner. Critical code and data maintenance / repairs are not shown, those happen immediately.

If everyone wants a particular upgrade, and wants it now, everything else will come to a virtual halt while we build just that feature.

The polls are now open. Write-ins are welcome. Try to keep the ballot-box stuffing to a minimum.

[SkiBikeSki]

I would love to see #9 implemented!

I also would like #10, since I'd like to take more active role for the team. I'd love to post news, and updates, and whatever. I might even try to write, at least the text, for the missing optimization/hiding pages.

The mini stats box is a good idea. However it might not too different from the data already along the left edge.

Unified personal stats is another great. I'd my it my homepage in the Internet preferences pane. Going one place to see my total, yesterday, avg. daily production would be perfect.

[Grozni Majmun]

1. Is really important, I think. It helps people to join the team and that is a really good thing.

10. Would be great too, because it would allow others to get more involved, and take some of the workload away from you.

Other than that...sorry, but I'd really like to see the hourly stats (7). I know it is the most work of all, but it would be sooooo cool!

As far as adding more projects and expanding the genome section, I wouldn't worry about it for the moment. I haven't really sensed that there is a great demand for that. (I could be wrong, it has actually happened )

[ 05-15-2002: Message edited by: Grozni Majmun ]

[Shaktai]

My preferences in order.

#1. Because it is important to team building and recruiting. Having a good basic resource is a key to building interest. That is what brought me to MacNN.

#10 I think would be good for team building as well as general interest.

#3, #6, & #13. Forget building on incomplete code. I think you should go ahead and work on improving what you need to. In the long run it will be more beneficial.

#8 - I love to play with new things, and now that I have 4 distinct platforms (G3 & G4 with OS-X, Windows w/ Celeron, Linux with Athlon), I would love to test any DC projects that have Mac clients and provide info on them to the team.

Lowest Priority of all you listed is #2 - Even though I started the Genome team (sorta), there is no Mac Client. The basic stats you have are fine. No heavy crunching there yet, so no need to sweat the details. If and when they get a client, and there is some team interest, then we can look at expanding those stats. For now, the other stuff is all more important.

[DAlex]

My preferences are:

6,3,5,7,12

I'm particularly keen on 7, a whole heap of work but it would more than satisfy my lust for stats!

DAlex

[jbcool]

My vote is for:

#1 - Newbies pages important
#6 - Others items require this to happen first
#7,#13 - So the DC junkies can get their fix.

[The_Equivocator]

#1 is really important. Let's get those great scripts up on the site with step-by-step instructions on how to get them running and how they work. Not enough people know just how great those scripts are (especially with dFold and its memory leak).

#10 would be great, too. Let's get this community to grow.

#6->#7->#13 would make this site even more amazing. I think we would jump ahead as the best stats site ever for distributed computing.

[SkiBikeSki]

Ah yes. #1 is very important. Although I'm afraid I won't be able to help until after school gets out in the middle of June.

[Bockie]

1 then 9.

I see number 9 as a part of the FAQs for each client. It should look something like:
Q. How fast will my computer run [client name]?
A. Here are several benchmarks of Macs running [client name].
-------------
[place benchmarks here]



[ 05-17-2002: Message edited by: Bockie ]

[jarling]

These werent on the list, but I thought I'd throw them out for discussion.

a. I like the idea that was floating around for the Special Forces Unit. I'm wondering if it is worth an extra page listing who's pushing us from behind and what our priorities should be, including a forum link (hey they may be obnoxious but LWD made SETI interesting for a while). I dont mean to suggest that people have to agree with our target, just that people follow it if they want (I agree with Scott that people should join the project they want (even though RC-5 really has no social value ). The Unit could be used for other purposes too, but which I'm not bright enough at the moment to flesh out.

I've been debating myself whether its worth the effort given that we could probably just figure out where our resources would be best used based on the size of the red/yellow threat bars. But thats what the forum is for so I'll bring it forward for public debate.

b. I've also been wondering if there is any way to compare teams not by project but by team strength or team rankings in all the projects that team is undertaking. I know that we are losing to Team OS X in Folding, but how do they compare in DFold? RC-5? Seti? And if they are higher in one but lower in another, is there a way to calculate an overall score? Is there a way to account for the fact that we are running 5 (or 6, depending on whether Genome counts) projects while others are running 3 or 4? Should it be measured in GHz? OK, I'm rambling now...

Jarling

-Why must someone pay a penny for my thoughts for me to put in my two cents?

[Bockie]

I got the idea for a floating team from Ars Technica. They have a fully staffed team that pushes extra MHz to where it's needed. I normally run multiple projects at once to support all MacNN Teams, but I can focus on a specific client when needed. I started the Special Forces Unit™ because I only have one computer and can easily switch among the projects.

[surfdog17]

I've got a idea for future competitions, it would be cool if there multiple comps going on for different powered computers. For instance there could be a seperate dFold comp for strictly G3 iMacs, G4 iMacs, pee cees, DP Power Macs, and a unlimited class. This way there is motivation for everybody to compete of all CPU classes. I'm not sure it could be done but I'm sure reader50 could do it because he's the stats guru/genius.

Oh yea #10 would be cool too.

~sd

[SkiBikeSki]

The mini stats box a the top of the forum could really be helpful. Besides the forums being the best, and sometimes only, place for Team news, it'd also be a good plce for basic info. So long as it was strightforward info, and didn't add to the load time of the site; it's already kinda slow.