but I'm wondering if folding at home is an inefficient way to do it.
Heck even the US army is using PS3 in cluster instead of a server farm. It will process faster and consume less energy, though some might argue the precision from GPUs is less than that of certain CPUs.
This is slightly off topic, the seti project is something like f@h but it illustrates how money that was not available to a group was compensated for by creating the distributive software to process massive amounts of data that is continually being back logged because lack of computer time.
Even if you feel there is misuse or waste in the process it is not only yielding data on proteins but a framework around GPU computing and pretty darn decent distributive computing practices.
What has happened with some of the previously large scale folders we used to have here, like Technocrat and Jonshandbrake? They used to do a lot of points, and now it's virtually nothing.
Layoffs/downsizings and no more access to the computers that used to fold? Sold the folding farm and went on to other things?
Yep. I used to administrate an entire school district and had it on the image. (with their permission) Over time, the machines get replaced, and I don't work there any more to put it back on.
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Heck even the US army is using PS3 in cluster instead of a server farm. It will process faster and consume less energy, though some might argue the precision from GPUs is less than that of certain CPUs.
This is slightly off topic, the seti project is something like f@h but it illustrates how money that was not available to a group was compensated for by creating the distributive software to process massive amounts of data that is continually being back logged because lack of computer time.
Even if you feel there is misuse or waste in the process it is not only yielding data on proteins but a framework around GPU computing and pretty darn decent distributive computing practices.
Yep. I used to administrate an entire school district and had it on the image. (with their permission) Over time, the machines get replaced, and I don't work there any more to put it back on.