World Community Grid

I was listening to the edition of the IT Conversations podcast today featuring an interview with John Patrick. He mentioned a grid computing exercise called the World Community Grid. This is from their website:

World Community Grid's mission is to create the largest public computing grid benefiting humanity. Our work is built on the belief that technological innovation combined with visionary scientific research and large-scale volunteerism can change our world for the better. Our success depends on individuals - like you - collectively contributing their unused computer time to this not-for-profit endeavor.

Simply donate the time your computer is turned on, but would normally lie idle, for projects that benefit humanity. Like a screensaver, grid technology is easy to use, safe and free. When you are ready to use your computer, the grid connection will shut itself off until the next time your computer is idle.

I've installed it and the current project seems to involve protease folding analysis.

Human Proteome Folding Project
World Community Grid is focusing on a project key to advancing our knowledge of human disease. By identifying the proteins that make up the Human Proteome, scientists can build the understanding needed for novel and effective treatments for diseases like cancer, HIV/AIDS, SARS,and malaria.
 

As of 05 Mar 2005 they only have

Members	57,661
Devices	86,170

That's appalling. We can do better. This is important work. Make your spare cycles count.

Comments

[Frank Arrigo]

i was running this over the summer and found it a terrible drain on my pc. even when it was idle it was doing stuff. it gave me the creeps.

sorry, my spare cycles are going to seti

[Cameron Reilly]

did you have it set on screensaver?
and cmon, you'd choose finding ET over curing cancer?

Is there a team for Aussies?

[Naggastopoulos]

Aussie team for the grid is simply "Australia"

http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/team/viewTeamInfo.do?teamId=X25XNJBR9N1