Dopefish on SETI@home

[Justin]

I've founded a Dopefish team thingy on the SETI@home page (that screensaver that processes radio signals from space when you're not using your computer) so head on over to http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/ , get a copy (if you haven't already), and join the Dopefish team at http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/stats/team/team_29690.html !

[Stingray]

Just to let you know, I joined. Already had SETI, just needed to join the group. :)

[Justin]

I just checked the stats--your computer is more than twice as fast as mine! Darn you! ;)

[Stingray]

You can find out my computer stats?

In that case, I currently have two computers running this. One at my work (on right now) a Pentium II/350MHz with 256MB RAM, and my computer here, a Pentium II/266MHz with 64MB RAM.

When I get my other computers up and running here, I'll probably put it on them too.

I might also install it on one other computer at my work, yet another 350MHz but with 128MB RAM.

[Justin]

I can't actually find out your computer's stats, but I can find out the average time it takes you to finish one data unit. I take about 130 hours, and you take about 50 hours.

[Justin]

It's a P150, by the way.

[Stingray]

My God, upgrade man! :D

I'll soon have a couple other computers running SETI@home as well. A Pentium 133 and a Pentium III/550MHz.

[Justin]

Actually, it was just upgraded a cople of months ago. It used to be a P75, and we got one of those MMX upgrade chip thingies. It's supposed to go to 200 MHz, but it seems to only go at 150 on our machine, according to the benchmark program that came with it. Must be the old motherboard or something.

It also got a memory upgrade (40MB instead of 16MB, it originally came with 8MB), a hard drive upgrade (4.3GB up from 520MB), a digital camera, and a 56K modem (old one was 14.4K).

So there. :P

[Scyth]

Pentium 120, yeah!

Actually I have a newP3 450 as well, with 128 MB RAM, 12 GB hard drive, 17 inch monitor, Diamond Viper V770 graphics card (the computer will not work with _any_ Voodoo3. Nobody, even 3dfx tech support can do anything about this).

Now that I'm done bragging... Should I join SETI@home under the Dopefish team? Currently, my idle CPU cycles go to distrubuted.net, which is currently working on cracking 64bit encryption. When they succeed (and its simply a matter of time and CPU power), they will not only show that it is important that the US lift its ban on 128bit encryption exports, but will also win a prize to be donated to a charity (likely the project gutenberg (an attempt to offer free online versions of a wide assortment of literature). So which it the more worthy cause?... =). I would be happy to switch.

[Justin]

Well, it seems kinda futile to be trying to crack 64-bit encryption, as someone's already cracked 512-bit (see the RSA web page). Project Gutenberg is a worthy cause also, though. Your choice, I guess.

[Stingray]

Well, it all depends what you want to do, find new life or just try to crack some code. Granted, there's money in it for you for distributed.net, but there is fame for you if you find life on other planets.

Another idea, create a distributed.net team. I'll join. I have enough computers here to run half and half. I've sorta been bored with distributed.net though. It's more fun to watch these stats roll by the window than distributed.net, which simply has text output, of which it is incredibly difficult to use now that they're switching over to a more text based program.

[Stingray]

Oh yeah, and Justin, are you going to be like finishing any other blocks of data soon or is your computer still cranking away? :D

I've done like 10 so far. I've got this thing loaded on three separate machines as I've previously stated.

The computers at work are usually chewing through data at about 24 hour rates.

I just need them to create this as a service for WinNT. Right now I have to keep my computer logged in at work, which I'd rather not do. I prefer to log off, but keep it running.

I have another computer I've had on consistently for 30 days (or at least that was the time it was reporting for idle time). I'm now putting it to good use with the SETI program.

[Scyth]

Yeah, we could create a distributed.net Dopefish team. Personally, I feel there's no point in trying help distributed.net for the prize money. The chances of winning are oh so low.

However, as a lot of people still have only one computer, I think that we should choose only one "semi-official-Dopefish-free-CPU cycle-donation-organization". So what should it be?

BTW, Stringray: you have too many computers! =)

[Stingray]

Oh, those are just the ones I have at work in my office. I have far more I can play with here at home. :D

I vote for SETI, because it's cooler. :D

Thanks to the two computers at work, they're pumping out a result in 24 hours. Beats my computer here. It takes twice as long on my P2/266MHz with 64MB RAM.

[Justin]

Yeap, it's still cranking on my second ever data unit (39.5% done, 51 1/2 hours so far)

This thing is SLOOOOOOOWWWWWWWW

[Stingray]

Man, that's just sad. :D

We need to get more people to sign up for the place so I can actually have competition with people. :)

[Scyth]

Well, I tried out SETI, but I didn't like it. Honestly, I'm a little apprehensive about running a screen saver that displays a mostly static image. It kinda defeats the purpose. Secondly, it rather difficult to set up between multiple profiles. So, I think I'll stick with distributed. It can run as a 95/NT service totally hidden from the user and uses threads to use any free CPU time, but not more. I think that its far better software. I would encourage you to check it out at www.distrubuted.net. I think we should set up a Dopefish team on distributed.net as well, as was suggested earlier.

[Justin]

Actually, computer monitors haven't needed screen savers for years. They're just for fun, so you don't have to worry about burning your screen in with a static one.

BTW, progress report on my 2nd data unit: 69 hr 25 min 21.9 sec, 54.103% done.

[Justin]

Also, you can set SETI to blank the screen after X minutes, if you're still worried.

[Justin]

As for your second complaint, There's some kinda text-only NT version or something, too. You might check the web page.

[Scyth]

Hmm... well I still like distributed better. You can install it and then forget about it. Besides, it uses your spare CPU cycles far more effeciently. Anyways, if you want to stick with SETI, that's fine, I won't try to convert you, go on an look for little green men =). I'll stick with distributed.

BTW, I was noticing the times of your last three post. A bit slow are we:
["Also, you can set SETI to blank the screen after X minutes, if you're still worried." ...(two minutes pass)"... "As for your second complaint..."]

Hehe, just kidding. =)

-Cya, Scyth

[Justin]

Well, sue me. I tend to hit the submit button before thinking if I've

[Justin]

missed anything.

[Stingray]

We need more people in the Dopefish group.

As for screen savers actually saving anything, it's junk. You actually think my Dopefish Screen Saver protects anyones screen from burn-in? If anything, it's the cause of burn-in. Ever see a burned in Dopefish? :)

Now that would be an interesting hack. Hack ATM displays to show the Dopefish. Kick ass. :)

[Scyth]

Ok, I've made a distributed.net Dopefish Team. The team won't appear until tomorrow. I'll have sign up info then (you won't be able to sign up until the team appears). If you're already running the client but haven't joined a team, all your block will be transfered! If aren't running the client, head over to distributed.net and get it. Clients are availiable for a wide range of OSes.

Since I have no particular right of ownership for this team, I feel I should ask you guys for what you think should go in the team information. We need:
a website (currently www.dopefish.com)
a logo (currently the animated burpfish hosted by dopefish.com)
a description (currently "The Dopefish Lives", can be much longer).

Also, we need to decide what should happen with the money if one of the team members actually finds the key. I suggest we either: 1) pass all the money on the the member or 2) ignore it because our chances of winning are so low!.

cya, Scyth

[Stingray]

The motto should simply be "Burp." after the distributed.net logo says "Moo."

The funds if won should be put into a Dopefish fund used for appropriate Dopefish purchases, to help further the knowledge of Dopefish to the world.

[Scyth]

OK, distibuted.net Team Dopefish is now listed. Check out the stats page at: http://stats.distributed.net/rc5-64/tmsummary.php3?team=17206 . Near the bottom of the page is a link to follow to sign up. In related news, I made my highest ever keyrate yesterday at 1215 KKeys/sec. I'm doing my part for Team Dopefish!

I agree with you Stingray, "Burp." would be a good motto. I'll change it soon if no one (no one being not Justin :) suggests a better one.

[Justin]

Maybe "Swim Swim Hungry!" or "Eat Your Veggies!"

[Justin]

Ooh! Ooh! How 'bout "Fnord!"

[Justin]

YAAAYY! I finally finished my second data unit! Whoppeee! And it only took 125 hours!

[Stingray]

Guess I better start looking out. :D

I suppose I have small advantage when I'm running it on three separate computers, which are all much much faster than yours. :)

[Justin]

Yes! Third data unit finished!

(insert victory dance here)

[Scyth]

Is anyone going to join the distributed.net Dopefish team? The ranking plummeted during the week I was without internet access (@home was out across the province for a fews days and then my modem didn't reinint properly afterwards). The URL for stats and joining is in one of my earlier posts above.

[Justin]

Hey, I just checked the stats page, and someone else joined the Dopefish team! I have no idea who they are, but we actually have 3 members now! Also, I finished my fourth data unit!

[Joe Siegler]

Hey, I don't know who it was who just joined, but I joined today. :)

You should know I nabbed the nickname "Dopefish" as soon as this thing opened up. I haven't run the software in ages - the last time I did, the software was v1.0. :)

[Justin]

I actually had the name dopefish on there for a while, but I changed it so you could use it if you decided to join. Thought you might want to know.