Why do you do it?

LincLinc OwnerDetroit Icrontian
edited February 2011 in Folding@Home
As our team completes our transition, I think it serves as a perfect opportunity for everyone to stop a minute and think about this incredible project they are involved in.

Please, take a moment to ponder over your commitment to the Folding@Home project and Team 93, and post here why it is you believe in this project and continue to fold.

Thanks to everyone for your continued efforts! :)
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Comments

  • SlickSlick Upstate New York
    edited June 2003
    When I first found team #93 I did it to become fimilar with everyone and get some more friends. Now I continue to do it because of the encredible team effort. Also to be part of this amazing team.
  • GobdGobd Seattle, WA
    edited June 2003
    I do it because i was always at Icrontic and one day ventured into the folding forum and found out about all the great stuff that folding can do for humanity and how it has almost no effect on PC performace. Since then all of my computers have been running F@H 24/7.

    There is no reason not to do it, so i won't stop until F@H dies or a more helpful project appears.
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited June 2003
    I do it because it's the right thing to do.. It fits right in with my spiritual practice, and it is completely painless to do. I will always support this project, as long as it exists and has merit.
  • CryptoCrypto W.Sussex UK Member
    edited June 2003
    I was sucked in to folding first off as a stress testing program. Then I got to love the mounting excitement of checking my progress in the team.
    Then I started to think about the real implications of what I was doing and thought " I can't possibly NOT do this" It costs a couple of quid a month for the electricity and I would gladly donate that small amount to such a deserving cause.

    Finally, I'm sometimes overwhelmed by the community spirit, particularly after the passing of Bart Williams.

    Team 93 is the place to be and I'm proud to be part of it.

    Fold On :D:D:D

    Crypto
  • CyrixInsteadCyrixInstead Stoke-on-Trent, England Icrontian
    edited June 2003
    I used to run the United Devices Cancer Research Distributed Computing program. However, at Icrontic the members had cool 'folding sigs', and they had an area to discuss their choice of distibuted computing.

    I thought that this was much more a family spirit community, and if I had a problem with the folding I would be able to ask someone about it.

    So, I like the sigs (please lets get a sig generator back ASAP!!), and I like the community spirit.

    Oh, and of course it's for a good cause (my mum has had breast cancer and my ex-girlfriend used to work at an Alzheimer's Home).
  • HotrodsunHotrodsun Salem, OR
    edited June 2003
    Well, I don't know why I do it. I like the feeling of helping my fellow people. But really I guess It more for me, I'll will probably have Alzheimer when I get old. Because I can't remember sh*t now and I'm only 25.
  • qparadoxqparadox Vancouver, BC
    edited June 2003
    Well I do it for a number of reasons, I'll start with why I choose to participate in any DC project and then move onto my specific reasons for choosing folding.

    WHY DC?

    So often in our society we expect discoveries and technological advances to simply come from some brain child with funky hair and no social skills. The sad truth is that most advances do not come from people with funky hair. instead they come from grunt work by many many people working collaborating. In modern times the collaborators have also had to turn to numeric simulation to solve problems that aren't approachable any other way. This need, and the often high price for computing time, makes a lot of great research unachievable at the current time.

    Distributing computing projects are a bridge between the "normal" people and those who are on the leading edge. It provdies a way for a large portion of society to contribute to technological innovation and research that has never been available before. We all get to participate and those running the project get much needed computing time. Hopefully, the end result will be something that benefits society.

    SO WHY FOLDING?

    In september 2002, I decided to make a gradual shift from UD/SETI to folding. I decided to switch (insert lame apple ripover commerical here) for a number of reasons. I was first attracted to folding by the harsh dedication and team atmosphere of the members of team '93. But there was a deeper reason for my choosing to fold. The fact that the project was run by a purely academic institution wasn a big plus. I know that my contribution will be furthering research and not simply be a cheap way out for a company. Having a very rudimentary knowledge of chemistry and biology (I'm an engineering physics student) I also realized the extremely difficult nature of protein folding simulations and why it requires such a massive amount of computing time. Without folding@home these simulations wouldn't have happened for years. So the pande group needs us. but society needs their research. There is so much we don't fully understand about protein folding, but through folding@home we can, work unit by work unit, build up knowledge and eventually gain understanding of the process. The final result of the folding@home project will be a great leap forward for understanding a very common occurance, and a great start to finding solutions to some very important ailments.

    So in short: we need the results of folding@home, but folding@home needs us to flourish. A perfect synergy exists between these needs, so it simply makes sense to fold.

    I hope that all made sense, I just typed it up after getting massacred on a vector calc mid-term (the prof thought we had 2 hours to write it but we only had 50 minutes ....) after cramming all nite. So if its BS please tell me :D. And yes my writing is overly long.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited June 2003
    I do it because I have a competitive spirit. I like to try to be the best at anything I do. With folding, I can have friendly competition and have it for a good cause.

    <b>Put simply</b>
    <i>Because I can.</i>
  • morfeumorfeu Lisbon, Portugal
    edited June 2003
    Cuz i wanna do it n i can, cuz this team is great, ppl are great, if we can help ppl, why not do it?

    Cheers.
  • LawnMMLawnMM Colorado
    edited June 2003
    Because it may save somebody's life, and it doesn't cost me anything. Its like giving blood, no harm to you...could really help somebody else! I do that too :D

    Its better than SETI...I'm more concerned with curing diseases people I know may develop than finding phoning ET.
  • fatcatfatcat Mizzou Icrontian
    edited June 2003
    wife had pre-cancerous cells at 22 and had to have surgery a few years back....

    .....in hopes to find cures

    fc
  • tychotycho Santa Barbara, California!
    edited June 2003
    donating my computer time costs me little to nothing but is a huge benefit to those involved.
    i love the community here and i love the competition as well
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited June 2003
    I originally posted this back at the old Icrontic. I was doing the F@H project before my mom was diagnosed with cancer, mainly because it seemed like the decent thing to do. Now it's personal.

    Here is what I wrote in April:

    *********************************

    Some of you may remember my previous mention of my mom's cancer diagnosis. She had a fast-spreading cancer, which necessitated a no-nonsense approach. Within two weeks of her diagnosis she had surgery, then began an aggressive chemotherapy treatment.

    While visiting my folks I mentioned the FAH project, and showed them GenKeeb's Flashfold presentation. My parents were immediately interested, and began folding the same night.

    I recently learned that while she was in for her latest chemo session (this is not fun, folks) she was browsing through the usual stack of outdated magazines and came across an article in TIME relating to the FAH project, and mentioned to the Doctors, Nurses, and other patients that "my computer is doing this right now, even as I sit here waiting for my treatment".

    The interest was unbelievable - everyone in the place wanted to know more about it. Many people assumed that my mom had some sort of supercomputer stashed away in her basement (I wish!) and were surprised to hear that just about any computer could make a significant contribution to this project. I'd be willing to bet that there were a few more home computers folding that evening.

    My mom is not giving up, and neither am I, but we do realize that by the time the raw research is complete and all of the data is analyzed, it may not have an immediate impact on our own lives. Maybe if this project had been around 25 years ago (when I was 19 years old) I would not have to watch my mom suffer through some pretty fierce treatment to save her life. In another 25 years I will be her age. Maybe I'll be able to spend a little more time having fun and going fishing, instead of having to undergo weekly medical procedures (weekly = timed so you have just about enough time to recover before you go in for the next one).

    Maybe it won't affect our lives at all. But it's bound to make a huge difference in someone's life. Maybe, just maybe, this research will improve the lives of thousands - or millions.

    Maybe YOU will be able to look back and say that you made a real difference in the world. How good would that feel?

    Prof

    (PS: I wanted to link to the TIME article about folding, but it requires a paid registration so I did not include it.)

    *********************************

    Prof

    PS: Thanks to everyone involved in this project!


    :)
  • NoFutureNoFuture In a 3D world...
    edited June 2003
    I do it for a lot of reasons:

    -To give my contribution to the world.
    -To help science making our lives better.
    -I love the community.
    -I don't like wastin' GHZ.
    -I'm a (soon to be) scientific.
    -It keeps my computers busy.
  • csimoncsimon Acadiana Icrontian
    edited June 2003
    I do it because it is a worthy cause ...and because the last time I had mad cow it took me 6 months to get over it. jk ...for starters I live in the heart of "cancer alley". :fold:
  • kroffkroff Portoroz, Slovenia
    edited June 2003
    i do it for the money ;-) ..oh yes...and the stars ..i want those stars back ;-)
  • pseudonympseudonym Michigan Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    Peer Pressure.

    I just couldn't help it, over and over again, telling me to do it, nothing made em stop...........
  • danball1976danball1976 Wichita Falls, TX
    edited July 2003
    I do it for one reason because my mom's side of the family has a history of Breast cancer. My mom and my Great Grandmother had breast cancer in the same breast. My Great Granmother died before I was born and had breast cancer for 15-20yrs before dying of it. My mom had it in 1991 and took the requisite Chemo and radiation therapy that was par for the course back then
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited July 2003
    danball1976 said
    I do it for one reason because my mom's side of the family has a history of Breast cancer. My mom and my Great Grandmother had breast cancer in the same breast. My Great Granmother died before I was born and had breast cancer for 15-20yrs before dying of it. My mom had it in 1991 and took the requisite Chemo and radiation therapy that was par for the course back then

    I hope your mom is OK now. My mom is going through the chemo stuff right now. She didn't react well to it, so they cut the dose back. Unfortunately, this means she had to do six sessions instead of four. I think she has one to go.


    Prof

    PS: Yes, F@H really matters!;)
  • WuGgaRoOWuGgaRoO Not in the shower Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    1)competition (it must be me or sumthing)
    2) i kinda know what the site is talkinga bout (im currently a biochem major and i love science)
    3) Im altruistic ( yeah u heard me right)
    4) the sigs (man the chicks did them)
  • danball1976danball1976 Wichita Falls, TX
    edited July 2003
    profdlp said
    danball1976 said
    I do it for one reason because my mom's side of the family has a history of Breast cancer. My mom and my Great Grandmother had breast cancer in the same breast. My Great Granmother died before I was born and had breast cancer for 15-20yrs before dying of it. My mom had it in 1991 and took the requisite Chemo and radiation therapy that was par for the course back then

    I hope your mom is OK now. My mom is going through the chemo stuff right now. She didn't react well to it, so they cut the dose back. Unfortunately, this means she had to do six sessions instead of four. I think she has one to go.


    Prof

    PS: Yes, F@H really matters!;)
    Yeah, she's doing pretty well, she does get tired easily though because of all that stuff, and she didn't loose her hair when she had chemo and radiation.
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited July 2003
    Glad to hear that. My mom is bald as a cueball right now. Her loyal children have been calling her Uncle Fester for the past month. My girlfriend is a doctor, and says it should grow back alright.

    A sense of humor helps; if the family ever started acting too grim about it it would be hard on everybody - especially her.


    Prof
  • croc_croc_ New
    edited July 2003
    My mother died of cancer (throat / tongue / spine) 7 years ago.

    I guess I want to do this in memory of her. Also to help your team, and the whole project in general, to find cures.
  • JonseyJonsey Microsoft Corporation
    edited August 2003
    Not to make light of the actual reasons many fold. I will steal a line from Tino. The insensitive idjit who writes for www.grabtwistpull.com the non-official webcomic of RIT.

    "Because Yes."

    Why do I fold? I fold because there's no reason not to (at least with the console only client, which has not even made me drop frame one inside a shooter), I fold because it might help, I fold because of my Grandmother's (may she rest in peace) Alzheimers... I fold for the diabetics, I fold.

    Also, the promo videos, the snappy sigs, and the joy of recruiting others makes it worthwhile.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited August 2003
    Also to help your team

    No, Sir!:banghead: It's your team.

    Yes, we compete feverishly; but all members are equal in terms of respect.
  • GnomeWizarddGnomeWizardd Member 4 Life Akron, PA Icrontian
    edited August 2003
    I do it because I want to help the people suffering from sickness and If my computer helps find a cure for something ONE day i might have I can say " Yea i help find the cure! "
  • a2jfreaka2jfreak Houston, TX Member
    edited August 2003
    My main reason is because I want to do what I can to help find possible cures for crippling illnesses and diseases.

    However, my motives aren't entirely altruistic as I do very much enjoy the competition and the main reason I want to keep adding more machine is because I wanna kick some butt!!! :fold: on!:cool2:
  • BDRBDR
    edited September 2003
    Why do I Fold?

    I'm trying to "do my part".
    I've lost too many friends and relatives to cancer.
    My step-grandson has been diagnosed with Duchenne's form of Muscular Dystrophy.
    My Mom has Macular Degeneration.
    The list goes on..

    I fold in hopes that at some point in the future they may be able to find cures for these dreaded diseases.
    Maybe research on one thing may lead to a cure for something totaly unrelated.
    I can only hope..
    and do my part.

    Why do I fold here?

    After doing a little searching, I've found I like this place and it's members. It's a fun and relaxing place to be.
  • BuddyJBuddyJ Dept. of Propaganda OKC Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    I do it for the free beer and ladies!
  • tophericetopherice Oak Ridge, TN
    edited September 2003
    FormFactor and CaffieneMe threatened to beat me severely if I didn't install a client and start Folding for Team93.
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