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Are MAC's best folding boxes?

L

Leadman584

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jun 10, 2004
Messages
448
Checking my stats yesterday at [H]ardfolding.com, I noticed a familiar name as only projected folder to overtake me on the team. Phunky_Monkey, name was really familiar. Checked at Divx forums, and indeed MAC Moderator is same guy. Welcome to the team again Phunky.

Anywhoo, he's running 10 MAC's for the [H]orde, and averaging over 125 points per WU with his farm. I only get @ 63 pts for each WU. Are MAC's really that much better folding boxen?
 
Points per WU are predetermined by Stanford before they are released. Historically you have gotten more low scoring WU than he has.

Since a WU is scored according to how hard it is to crunch, there is 'generally' parity in the amount of points awarded for the amount of CPU power utilized. Although there is some variability based on CPU type.
 
From what I've read the Macs perform fine.
The only problem I'd see is the price per WU.

FWIW if you want to run [H] DC on VIAs I'm all for it.
Just do it.
 
Thats what I figured. Gettin the MAC boxen is just soo much more expensive up front compared to intel/amd.

I was just curious because I remember back in the day with distributed.net that the Mac boxen were just shreddin the shit out of everything.
 
Yeah, I think they're similar to AMD's in that they're very good at math and therefore good at folding, but not as good as their price would lead you to believe. ;) As relic said, the only problem is the price of admission.
 
Mattman said:
Yeah, I think they're similar to AMD's in that they're very good at math and therefore good at folding, but not as good as their price would lead you to believe. ;) As relic said, the only problem is the price of admission.
Click to expand...


Price of admission sucks but if you've already got it I say use it. Don't buy em to fold with, but if you're forced to get one at least make it usefull.
 
pageian said:
Price of admission sucks but if you've already got it I say use it. Don't buy em to fold with, but if you're forced to get one at least make it usefull.
Click to expand...

or if you happened to get one ;)

in any case, hell yeah, fold!
 
Macs have very strong floating point performance, which is what it takes to fold fast.

Via chips, on the other hand, are very weak in floating point math, so they would be weak folders, probably equalling a P4 at the same clockspeed. (Imagine how slow a 1ghz P4 would fold.)
 
Yogi said:
Macs have very strong floating point performance, which is what it takes to fold fast.

Via chips, on the other hand, are very weak in floating point math, so they would be weak folders, probably equalling a P4 at the same clockspeed. (Imagine how slow a 1ghz P4 would fold.)
Click to expand...

I wonder if Via chips OC at all? Just a thought, you could probably get three of them to run off of 1 psu since you wouldn't need a fan on the heat sink, and their low power requirements and all. Maybe you could get 3.6 GHz out of 3 boards/chips and 1 psu. Still might be a bit expensive per WU but something worth looking into. Could you even run 3 boards off one psu physically, power requirements aside?
 
pageian said:
I wonder if Via chips OC at all? Just a thought, you could probably get three of them to run off of 1 psu since you wouldn't need a fan on the heat sink, and their low power requirements and all. Maybe you could get 3.6 GHz out of 3 boards/chips and 1 psu. Still might be a bit expensive per WU but something worth looking into. Could you even run 3 boards off one psu physically, power requirements aside?
Click to expand...

You'd have to get hold of two additional ATX plugs and connect them to the right wires, but yes, I think it would work. As a side effect, I suspect you'll only need one power button. :)
 
Got a post back from Phunky_Monkey over at Divx forum. He's got 11 G4/G5's at his job converted to OSX, and folding for the [H]orde with em. Got 19 more, he's upgrading from OS9 to OSX, they fold for us when upgraded. He blew past me with less than half the WU's. Company is cool with it, since his dad owns the company. Posted a link to this forum, hope he drops by, interesting fella. May need his sage advice in the future, concerning MAC usage. Getting real tired of Intel/AMD ratrace. He referenced a thread some time back on Divx forum, concerning charitable contributions, as incentive to Fold. Guess who suggested folding for team 33 ;) . I'm not ashamed to try recruiting for the team, in video encoding forums, I belong to most of em.

Just wish I had a strong presentation for doom9 forum, get a serious international flavor going.
 
Leadman584 said:
Got a post back from Phunky_Monkey over at Divx forum. He's got 11 G4/G5's at his job converted to OSX, and folding for the [H]orde with em. Got 19 more, he's upgrading from OS9 to OSX, they fold for us when upgraded. He blew past me with less than half the WU's. Company is cool with it, since his dad owns the company. Posted a link to this forum, hope he drops by, interesting fella. May need his sage advice in the future, concerning MAC usage. Getting real tired of Intel/AMD ratrace. He referenced a thread some time back on Divx forum, concerning charitable contributions, as incentive to Fold. Guess who suggested folding for team 33 ;) . I'm not ashamed to try recruiting for the team, in video encoding forums, I belong to most of em.

Just wish I had a strong presentation for doom9 forum, get a serious international flavor going.
Click to expand...

Cool, good work Leadman584. :)

What part of Indiana are you from?
 
Fort Wayne. Nice enough town, tough getting decent computer gear here though. At least we have no problems getting great internet connections, love my Comcast.
 
Leadman584 said:
Fort Wayne. Nice enough town, tough getting decent computer gear here though. At least we have no problems getting great internet connections, love my Comcast.
Click to expand...

I saw a Van Halen show there in the mid 90's back when they were still Van Hagar version 1.0. Otherwise I've just been through it. Can't remember the place we saw the show, something like the Coloseum maybe? I'm originally from Lafayette, spent some time in Indy/Carmel/Noblesville, now I spend most of my time in an underground bunker somewhere in Knoxville, TN. :D Indiana is alright, wouldn't mind it if I moved back there someday.
 
Prior to 1980(When I joined the Marine Corps, and a different kind of adventure began, for 7 years), I went to dozens of concerts here at the Colliseum. Saw Van Dave twice, Rush 3 times(Neil Perts arms really do dissappear during drum solo's, he's that good), Kansas twice, KISS with make up twice, and the best show of em all.....Judas Priest warmed up for AC/DC. Love to get a chance to see those guys live again, I don't care if they all need wheelchairs, best show ever. Angus Young is one goofy MF'er, but he sure can play. Went to YES concert last year at the Embassy Theater(accoustically perfect), 4 blocks from my house. Oh my gosh, Rick Wakeman back on keyboards, tried like heck to get backstage to meet my idols, not possible. It's a shame access was not granted on the basis of CD ownership. I have over 30 of their CD's that I have happily paid for. Saw Jethro Tull earlier this year at Embassy as well, wow.
 
I got to see Page/Plant twice at Market Square in Indy twice before they blew it up, in '94 and maybe '97 I think. Also saw Tom Petty there and some others. It had a pretty descent sound system I thought, it was a pretty good place to see a game too. Never been to Conseco FH, it opened right after I moved.

I saw Van Hagar twice that summer, once in Ft. Wayne and once at Deer Creek, both were cool but at Ft. Wayne we were real close to the stage so it was a blast. Eddies no Jimmy Page but he's not bad either. :)
 
Eddie learned to play from Satriani. So did kirk hamat (Metallica's lead guitar), Steve Vai, Inwie Malmstein, and Eric Johnson. Just to name a few. Wanna see what real guitar players look like, get you're hands on any of the G3 DVD's. If you truly love great guitar, be prepared to wet yourself, they are that great. The guitar players that tour with Steve Vai are better than most folks have ever heard. Might wanna check out the steve vai video as well. 3 players on stage all put Mr. Van Halen to shame. Got the videos in Divx, but the 1991 AC/DC concert video is stil my favorite. Queen at Wembly Stadium would be second, have em all in Divx.
 
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