New bigadv WU, even bigger points!

[theAnimal]

I'm currently crunching my first 6903 and getting an estimated 280k ppd. It will take about 1.67 days & give me ~460k points. The requirements for this unit are 12 threads minimum & 2GB RAM (although it actually seems to take more). Some quad socket AMD systems are getting 700k+ ppd! Upgrade time anyone?

 

[petrusbroder]

Thanks for the heads-up. I really wish ...

 

[Lightflash]

Weird. I thought they were going to take these out of testing until further review due to the PPD being so high. The points system really needs to be reworked due to how WUs are coming out now. Certain WUs are the same points yet take almost twice as long (29xx series vs. 6900/6901).

 

[ZipSpeed]

Wonder well how my i7 970 will run this...

 

[theAnimal]

Wonder well how my i7 970 will run this...

Should be 100k+ according to the posts I've seen.

 

[theAnimal]

Weird. I thought they were going to take these out of testing until further review due to the PPD being so high. The points system really needs to be reworked due to how WUs are coming out now. Certain WUs are the same points yet take almost twice as long (29xx series vs. 6900/6901).

Perhaps you're thinking of the 2684 WU which takes longer but gives lower ppd (though they did recently increase it about 50%). This is a brand new WU with higher hardware requirements which is why I think they are awarding more points.

 

[Lightflash]

I know about the 6903, but people on EVGA and the F@H website were saying they may lower the points to be more in tune with every other work unit. I know the points system is the way to give competition, but a WU that gives 30k base points just seems like overkill to me right now. The other problem is that only certain people with higher end gear can even obtain them makes it a race of the "haves" vs. "have-nots".

There is also WU similar to the 2684 (I believe 2685) that takes just as long, but did not receive an increase in base points. The points system needs to be reworked to make sure that WU have a consistent base points.

It would also be great if they could work linux and windows to give similar PPD instead of the 10-15% difference while running linux. Yeah it is easy to set up, but I would like to not have to dual boot just to run folding on a computer to receive the better points.

 

[theAnimal]

The base points have been lowered already to 28384.

The 2684 is the only slow bigadv WU.

 

[Diogenes2]

... The other problem is that only certain people with higher end gear can even obtain them makes it a race of the "haves" vs. "have-nots".

....

What's the point of " higher end gear " , if not to gain an advantage ?

 

[Nightrainsrt4]

Well, a faster rig will run the same unit faster, therefore generating more points naturally, and the ratio of the points should reflect the difference between the speed of the two rigs.

That makes sense to me. A rig 2x as fast could generate 2x as many points in the same time. But the way they have it now a faster rig is orders of magnitude more points just for running a different set of units.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Well, a faster rig will run the same unit faster, therefore generating more points naturally, and the ratio of the points should reflect the difference between the speed of the two rigs.

That makes sense to me. A rig 2x as fast could generate 2x as many points in the same time. But the way they have it now a faster rig is orders of magnitude more points just for running a different set of units.

Well, look at it from Stanford's perspective. They want results, right? Is it cost-effective for end-users to purchase these super-duper high-end rigs, if they are only effectively 2x faster than a standard desktop quad-core? Making the points more than 2x more, entices people to purchase these high-end rigs (SR2, anyone), and gives Stanford better results faster.

 

[Lightflash]

I have a SR-2 and still think the points are more than they should be.

There are actually 2 slow WUs right now since there is a beta 2685 (think that is the number) that is just as slow as the 2684.

Don't get me wrong, I just think it is getting to the point that new people will not want to get into folding due to needing a lot better hardware to compete.

 

[theAnimal]

There are actually 2 slow WUs right now since there is a beta 2685 (think that is the number) that is just as slow as the 2684.

The beta WU is 2689 which is roughly equal to 2685, both of which are much better than 2684.

Don't get me wrong, I just think it is getting to the point that new people will not want to get into folding due to needing a lot better hardware to compete.

If you're only folding for points, there's a good chance you won't last long anyway.

 

[theAnimal]

First unit uploaded for 466,974 points! And downloaded another one.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Don't get me wrong, I just think it is getting to the point that new people will not want to get into folding due to needing a lot better hardware to compete.

Yes, I see that. It's already bad enough that if you don't have a quad-core or a modern 4xx-series NV card, that some people probably wouldn't choose to fold on just a single-core CPU using the regular client. That is, if they want to get any kind of score at all.

I fired up my secondary desktop rig to run F@H, so I'm running F@H on two GTX460 cards right now. Hoping to hit 5mil in 15 days or less, and then I'm shutting down F@H for a while, planning on replacing my desktops with low-power systems.

 

[Lightflash]

Sorry I have not responded to this thread. I have been too busy with birthday trip and other things.

The points are amazing off these things and I have no problem with a huge WU, just think the size to points is a little off. It is not a huge difference, but it allows for certain hardware to really put out a huge PPD. Points does not matter a great deal to me, but it is my competitive nature to be slightly worried as I do not have a quad AMD right now and only an SR-2 (Quad Bulldozer is my next build). A lot of folders may have gotten in to help out with finding cures, but it is human nature to want to be able to compete on a level playing field or not feel as though they are fighting a losing battle to gain a ranking. Stanford put the points system in knowing that it would push people.

But as I always say to F@H, the more the merrier. Hopefully these "big beta/big berthas" will allow the researchers to find that little bit more information to make a better drug or treatment for people that suffer from these diseases. I know my SR-2 will be trying to get them every chance available with a WU. My spare income has gone from gaming to folding/gaming and now with my schedule, it is almost full folding, and I plan on getting the biggest machine I can afford to run any WU that can help.

 

[theAnimal]

Finally got a 6904. TPF just over 33 minutes so about 228k ppd.

 

[Lightflash]

That is some good points. What CPUs are you running right now?

 

[theAnimal]

X5650

 

[theAnimal]

Apparently one of my 6904s has been lost in the ether. Uploaded Friday but no points yet. Would have been 500k+.

 

[Lightflash]

I had the same thing happen with a 2684 this weekend. It is disappointing to spend the time and get no points and data sent back to the project.