-bigadv lifespan

[BrainEater]

So I'm in the process of upgrading my main rig.Folding is a primary concern.

I'm curious about the whole bonus point thing.I'll be able to get into the sandybridge 2011 stuff....Can I assume (from a folding standpoint) That Stanford will continue the bonus point stuff ? I dont want to buy 1000$ processors , unless I have to.


edit ;

I thought the -bigadv program was a beta thing ?

[Keywork]

If by beta you mean several years then yes...yes it is lol. With that said, I don't see BIGADV going anywhere anytime soon. Buy away my good sir!

[Dead Things]

One thing I've learned about folding is that things are always changing. For example, the first-generation GPU client only worked with ATI cards. That was just three short years ago (Imagine where you'd be now if you invested heavily in X1900-series Radeons). Then when the GPU client was made available for Nvidia cards, performance so significantly outpaced CPU folding that it made no sense at all to invest in a processor for folding purposes. That was two years ago. Then the bigadv revolution happened last year, reversing every trend in folding for the past 4-5 years back towards CPU computing. Nobody could have seen that one coming, just as surely as nobody can see what's coming just around the corner.

So will bonus-based CPU WUs go away? No, certainly not. Will they always be the points gluttons that they are today? Maybe - but if history has taught us anything, it's that change is the only constant.

[stoanee]

Its a win-win situation for folders. You get to upgrade, change and optimize (overclock the snot out of) your platform as dictated by by Stanfords ever changing whims. How else can you justify spending on multi cpu/gpu rigs!

(insert excuse here) "But honey, it's for the greater good of medical science!"

(and it is fun)

(and you ain't lying)

[_dangtx_]

and she dont kill ya :D

[chrisk]

I have heard rumors of a bonus system for GPUs as well, so I think the bonus program will be around in one form or another. The bigbeta is a very interesting twist as well.

[BrainEater]

With the last downgrade of the whole bonus point thang , I've made my decision.

I think that I'll have a fully capable Bigadv box , but I'm focusing my farm on GPU's , and here's why I say that :

I have 4 single slot pci-e boxes sitting here doing nothing , so I have space for 4x NV 580's.Thats 2 grand for ~ 68,000 ppd @ 1200 watts.

Will 2 grand actually buy a quad opty rig ?

I realize the power is higher but I don't care about that.......

Thoughts on point comparisons ?

--------

[3.0charlie]

Without any shopping done... almost:

16x Newegg.ca - Kingston ValueRAM 1GB 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Desktop Memory Model KVR1333D3N9/1G
4x Newegg.ca - AMD Opteron 6128 Magny-Cours 2.0GHz 8 x 512KB L2 Cache 12MB L3 Cache Socket G34 115W 8-Core Server Processor OS6128WKT8EGOWOF
4x Newegg.ca - Dynatron A5 60mm 2 Ball CPU Cooler
1x Newegg.ca - TYAN S8812WGM3NR Quad Socket G34 AMD SR5690 MEB Quad AMD 8-Core/12-Core Opteron 6100 Series Processors (Magny-Cours) Server Motherboard

Total: $2201.75

Basically my rig, except I run 32Gb. 114k ppd on a 2684, with ~480W power consumption under full load. Very little heat dump too, low noise.

I was surprised to find that the HSFs basically doubled in price since I bought them.

[BrainEater]

yep , those are the same numbers I came up with , I used yer rig as my example....

I'm stickin with the plan.I need garage heaters , the the lesser efficiency is ok.

At this point I think I can put up 4000 BTU's of folding power in .

[3.0charlie]

BTUs as a folding measure!