Distributed computing is computing distributed among computers to solve a huge task. Usually you have to download a client, and your computer's idle time is when you make this happen. This is neat because you can walk the streets saying "I helped with MIT reserching effects on protein!" . It's a cheap alternitive to geting a supercomputer or something, especially if the budget is tight. I found the link on google, but I lost it. Look it up. Check this out!

In other words, you want to allow someone use your internet upload data and use your computer to help with there 'debatable pointless' research at cost to you, and your doing it for free to them??

I see no point in that.... I do see the point if you have a major task to do, and you want to spread some of the burden.

EDITED OUT

This post has been edited by Andrew Northall: Aug 3 2008, 02:21 AM

I have the distributed.net client working on my computer. I figure I can allow it to use my cpu time when the computer is idle. The RC5 project is where it basically brute forces a password. It is trying to find the password for a 72-bit RSA Labs secret-key. It has nice rewards if your computer is the one to crack it.

$10,000 which is split up into different sections. Check this project out at http://www.distributed.net

I also use a client called boinc which I have the project called Seti@home running also. This project uses your cpu to look for alien signals from radio waves. This project is really cool and there are many people doing it. Along with boinc client, there are like 5 other projects you can do.

Check it out Here: http://boinc.berkeley.edu/

xJedix

Distributed computing is quite useful in calculating results involving huge matrix with plenty of elements. It is also quite useful in trial and error type of calculation. I have read about testing of mathematical hypothesis using distributed computing and many researches from the biology field also need help from computers recruited this way. One drawback of distributed computing is that there are no ways to test the validity of the output from the every client. If one client fakes the results, the whole project would be screwed up as there is no good way of pinpointing the black sheep. It also poses a security threat to the computer involved by introducing software which penetrates the firewall and listen to the Internet all the time.

so xJedix your using your computer to help hack a code that isnt even for something valuable and its probably gonna take over 1400 days and you might have a very tiny tiny change of winning 1000 dollars?

Yes this true

I have heard of this and at one time I did precipitate in something like this. My computer was at that time a very outdated for the time model so it kind slowed it down. The current computer I have now has a lot of problems and needs a upgrade badly. I think that if and when update my computer I would not mind participating. I would of course do some research on the company first before I commit to anything. It always pays to know more about a company and see if there are any complaints on it. Sometiimes what sounds really good may actually be a load of bull. Plus well if someone has a problem with the company its good to find out what that problem is just in case its security or privacy issue. Especially if it makes your computer vulnerble. Anyway thats my two cents.

Apple has Xgrid intergrated into OS 10.4 that makes setting up such systems simple. If you have all macs. Distributed computeing is extremely useful for rendering projects. I friend of mine that I play hockey with is trying to get a system set up for the OpenSource program Blender to using Xgrid. His site is http://macminigrid.astahost.com. (he's also the one that told me about this site to greate a goalie page so we don't have 6 goalies show up for 4 spots during drop-in)

From what he told me, though, it doesn't look like there are any takers yet. He bought an extra Mac Mini and was going to through OS 10.4-Server on it and use it as the controller. He found a boxed copy of OS 10.4 Server still in the wrapping for like $500 on Ebay.

Anyway, Xgrid makes it easy for us Mac users.