Planned changes to "Big Advanced" (BA) projects, effective January 16, 2012

iancook221188 · Nov 15, 2011

from VJ Blog

Big Advanced (BA) is an experimental type of Folding@home WUs intended for the most powerful machines in FAH. However, as time goes on, technology advances, and the characteristics associated with the most powerful machines changes. Due to these advances in hardware capabilities, we will need to periodically change the BA minimum requirements. Thus, we are shortening the deadlines of the BA projects. As a result, assignments will have a 16 core minimum. To give donors some advance warning, we are announcing this now, but the change will take place in 2 months: no earlier than on Monday January 16, 2012.

We understand that any changes to how FAH works is a disruption for donors, and we have been trying to minimize such changes. For that reason, we are not changing the points system at this time.

However, we want to emphasize that the BA program is experimental and that donors should expect changes in the future, potentially without a lot of notice (although we will try our best to give as much notice as we can). In particular, as hardware evolves, it is expected that we will need to change the nature of the BA WUs again in the future.
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k1net1cs · Nov 15, 2011

16 cores?
Damn, but it's pretty much understandable.
Though with that said, those BA WUs shouldn't be just had to be done with 16 cores and with shorter deadlines, but also with increasing complexity if possible.

iancook221188 · Nov 15, 2011

more from VJ

Originally Posted by Vijay
Sorry for not being more clear in the post. It's 16 physical cores in terms of speed (to make the deadlines), but since the client just looks for logical cores (and can't tell the difference between logical and physical cores), the client hard minimum will be 16 logical cores (if we made the client minimum 32 cores, then there would be cases of people with 16 physical cores not working). Since this is a bit confusing to say, I tried to stress the speed needed (16 physical cores), but as before, the key determining issue will be making the deadlines (especially since some people often spoof the number of cores the client detects anyway).

We very much understand how upsetting any change is, especially since donors work hard to optimize their setups. That is why we tried to give advance notice, especially since people might buy new equipment over the holidays. Please keep in mind that BA is very much experimental and that future changes not just could happen but most likely will. We are making this change since as time marches on, pretty soon all new machines will be BA-capable, which defeats the purpose of the whole BA project.

Moreover, we understand that change is upsetting for donors, so we are trying to be much more conservative with changes to other parts of FAH.
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Brasky · Nov 16, 2011

that definitely doesn't help the standard user.

sykozis · Nov 16, 2011

wow, by the time I can fold again....I'll have to upgrade just to install the client.... =(

At least I've only dropped to 283.....well, good for me, bad for F@H....

k1net1cs · Nov 16, 2011

Well, in the end it boils down to whether we do this to help, or to get points.

Brasky · Nov 16, 2011

points.

ra_alfaomega · Nov 16, 2011

So, just 2 months before I say bye bye to my favourite project,6903 because with a new time limit it won't be enough to get the bonus points(I think). Of course I fold for the good of all mankind but in the process a generous ppd reward won't be a problem for anybody, right ? The problem is that more and more computers can do this ,,big" projects in time but the projects are not enough for the demand. More big projects please and if not, more points for regular smp. Just my opinion...

sykozis · Nov 17, 2011

k1net1cs said: ↑

Well, in the end it boils down to whether we do this to help, or to get points.
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I was doing it to help, when I could....but lets face it, a little healthy competition makes it a bit more fun.

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Planned changes to "Big Advanced" (BA) projects, effective January 16, 2012

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