Comments on: BOINC – Volunteer your PC or MAC for science/medicine/charity http://www.chowntown.com/boinc-volunteer-your-pc-or-mac-for-sciencemedicinecharity/ A Creative Outlet Sat, 27 Aug 2011 15:41:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: NotWeasel http://www.chowntown.com/boinc-volunteer-your-pc-or-mac-for-sciencemedicinecharity/comment-page-1/#comment-57 NotWeasel Fri, 04 Jun 2010 15:25:39 +0000 http://www.chowntown.com/?p=280#comment-57 I used to do this years ago for a company that was competing to break some encryption scheme. That contest is long since over. They did it. That said... back in the day it didn't much matter what your computer was doing when you weren't using it. No harm, no foul. Today though, processors ramp down their speed and energy use when not being pushed, so I'm afraid that doing this sort of thing will put undue wear on the system and cost me more in power costs. I guess this could be worth it to fight AIDS... but it's certainly not something I'd consider anymore for purely philanthropic reasons. Just something to consider. I used to do this years ago for a company that was competing to break some encryption scheme. That contest is long since over. They did it.

That said… back in the day it didn’t much matter what your computer was doing when you weren’t using it. No harm, no foul.

Today though, processors ramp down their speed and energy use when not being pushed, so I’m afraid that doing this sort of thing will put undue wear on the system and cost me more in power costs.

I guess this could be worth it to fight AIDS… but it’s certainly not something I’d consider anymore for purely philanthropic reasons. Just something to consider.

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