Are You Folding................

[LastPlace]

Earlier today I read a thread about smoking which got me to thinking about health, which got me to thinking about Folding.

It seems to me that since we are over fifty most of us are aware that we are not ten feet tall and are not immortal, so why not Fold?

I'm referring to a 'Distributed Computing' program called 'Folding @ Home'. Distributed Computing is a method whereby data is sent to home PC users, whose computers crunch the data and then send the results back to the host, which is Stanford in this case. F@H seeks to find out how proteins in the body mis-fold, which is thought to be associated with Parkinsons, Alzheimers, and other diseases.


One of the first DC programs was SETI, or Search for ExtraTerrestial Intelligence, which I personally ran from 2000-2005, when the classic version ended.

Now I run F@H 24/7, and since I have a HT chip, I have just added Rosetta, which also works with proteins.

If you are interested you can Google 'DC' or check out these sites:

http://folding.stanford.edu/
http://boinc.bakerlab.org/rosetta/

Another is 'ClimatePrediction' which was a bear for me to set up, and which never seemed to run without crashing. Any of these can be used as a screensaver, but I never do that because it slows down the process. Since my computer is on 24/7 why not do something useful with it when I'm not reading or writing about bikes?

Why aren't you folding?


As always,
LastPlace

[centexwoody]

Several colleagues participate in SETI &, I'm sure, other 'folding' projects. To conserve energy, I turn my computer OFF every night and boot it up every morning when I get back to work so I will have to decline the offer to participate.

[LastPlace]

centexwoody,

Thanks for the reply. I was just trying to get the good folks here to consider contributing some unused computer cycles to a good cause.


As always,
LastPlace

[Blackberry]

I'm sorry LastPlace, but I'm don't even have enough computer literacy to understand what folding is.

[LastPlace]

Blackberry,

Their website explains it better than I can.

************
"What is protein folding and how is folding linked to disease? Proteins are biology's workhorses -- its "nanomachines." Before proteins can carry out these important functions, they assemble themselves, or "fold." The process of protein folding, while critical and fundamental to virtually all of biology, in many ways remains a mystery.

Moreover, when proteins do not fold correctly (i.e. "misfold"), there can be serious consequences, including many well known diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Mad Cow (BSE), CJD, ALS, Huntington's, Parkinson's disease, and many Cancers and cancer-related syndromes.

You can help by simply running a piece of software. Folding@Home is a distributed computing project -- people from through out the world download and run software to band together to make one of the largest supercomputers in the world. Every computer makes the project closer to our goals.

Folding@Home uses novel computational methods coupled to distributed computing, to simulate problems thousands to millions of times more challenging than previously achieved."
***********


Essentially, you as a pc owner, download a small program which crunches through their data and sends the results back to Stanford. Downloading any program carries some risk with it, but I have never had a problem with F@H but setting up any DC program can be a tad intimidating to begin with. As much as I would love to see folks over here download F@H, I can't always figure out issues and might not be be able to help with any problems.

http://folding.stanford.edu


As always,
Lastplace

[starship]

Are you monitoring CPU temp and if so, do you see any rise?

[Velo Dog]

I'm familar with SETI, and I like the idea. Like the other poster, though, I shut the computer off when I'm not using it. I don't mind paying the bill for the excess power, which only comes to a few bucks a month, but when you mutitply that by the millions of computers in the country and figure the number of power plants it takes to support them....

[LastPlace]

starship,
Since I run 2 DC programs (F@H & Rosetta) 24/7 there is a slight increase in cpu temps, but it has never caused me a problem. Also, I monitor things with 'Motherboard Monitor' which sits in the tool tray. BTW, I live in Columbia.

Velo Dog,
You make a good point, but my guess is that most people with broadband leave their computers on 24/7. Perhaps they shouldn't, but I'll bet most do. T
Then there is the question of the greater good; turning off computers, or using them to search for disease cures.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and respond.

http://folding.stanford.edu

As always,
LastPlace

[starship]

Sounds good, I sign up for folding when I get home tonight.

CYA
Sam in Summerville.

[LastPlace]

starship,
Thanks for pitching in. It can't hurt and might lead to a breakthrough. Remember, as much as I appreciate this, I am a poor source for help if there are any little issues. The F@H boards are a great source of help and encouragement.

http://folding.stanford.edu

As always,
LastPlace