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#1 2005-01-07 2:28 pm
- The New Guy
- Member
- From: Left of left
- Registered: 2000-10-18
- Posts: 3422
Switching to BOINC
Since my SETI password has been lost to the ages*, I'm going to be switching to BOINC (Even though I've got almost 1100WUs 
).
I've got the client downloaded and set up, but I need to know how to set the nice on the process so I can use my machines while they're crunching numbers. (We're talking a 400 Mhz and 800 Mhz G4 here).
Also, does the BOINC client for OS X have AltiVec support? How is its performance vs. the CLI setiathome client?
*I registered over four years ago with my college email address, which has been revoked since I've graduated. If anyone knows how to get them to change my email address without giving them my password, let me know. I can't find anything.
The car of the future is a train with a bike waiting at the other end.
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#2 2005-01-09 7:05 pm
- derekm
- Apathetic Zealot
- Registered: 2004-07-28
- Posts: 47
Re: Switching to BOINC
Hi The New Guy and welcome to BOINC.
Nice:
There is a setting for the General Preferences that is called "Do work while computer is in use?" Set that to "no." Hopefully that will solve your issue. There is also a setting that states the amount of consecutive idle time needed before BOINC kicks in.
AltiVec:
I don't know. In my experience, BOINC is not faster than classic WUs with the CLI for G3s and G4s. YMMV.
Change email address:
You have no chance. Don't even bother thinking about it any more. Sorry.
derekm
Team MacAddict
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#3 2005-01-10 2:29 pm
- The New Guy
- Member
- From: Left of left
- Registered: 2000-10-18
- Posts: 3422
Re: Switching to BOINC
I do have a chance. If I have my school set up my email address for a day and forward it to my current address I'll be able to get the logon.
Why is it so hard to change, too? "UPDATE users SET email = "x@y.z" WHERE email = "a@b.c"
Just fax them a copy of your drivers license or something. It's just work units, right?
The car of the future is a train with a bike waiting at the other end.
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#4 2005-01-11 6:56 am
- MadMan 459
- Missing Inaction
- Royal Wombat
- From: St Paul, Minnesota
- Registered: 2000-01-17
- Posts: 7973
Re: Switching to BOINC
You would think it would be easier, but if you remember all the nonsense that went on over faked work units, hijacked accounts, etc., etc., and the fact that they had millions of users, it just got to be too much for them to try to police.
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#5 2005-01-22 1:19 am
- Kosh
- The Enigmatic One
- From: Somewhere on or near Earth
- Registered: 2003-01-18
- Posts: 633
Re: Switching to BOINC
I've got the client downloaded and set up, but I need to know how to set the nice on the process so I can use my machines while they're crunching numbers. (We're talking a 400 Mhz and 800 Mhz G4 here).
Hi and welcome:)
I can't fully verify this since the BOINC version of sah crashes almost immediately under 10.2 on my Mac, but BOINC is already "nice"-ing it to 18 or 19, so just about anything else will take precedence, even if you don't do as derekm suggests. I'd say to try it out on your computers & see if it significantly affects your foreground applications 
Also, does the BOINC client for OS X have AltiVec support? How is its performance vs. the CLI setiathome client?
The stock sah "SETI Worker"* for BOINC is based on the same code as "classic" CLI setiathome, so will have similar performance. There is no AltiVec optimization.
If you go to the Download > Third-Party site > Team MacNN page, and scroll to the bottom, you'll find some SETI Worker versions with AltiVec optimizations added in. I can't test them with 10.2.8, but you might give them a shot. Just choose the one for the specific G4 in your computers.
*Since BOINC is a framework for running multiple projects, the SETI@home component is often called SETI Worker.
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
-- Benjamin Franklin, 1759
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