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发表于 2010-4-3 22:19:05
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At night, before going to sleep, do you turn off your computer? Do you leave it on to exchange your poetry and photos through peer-to-peer file sharing? At lunch do you activate your screen saver? Or do you leave your computer on during the day when doing a backup?
Why not give something more and collaborate with the rest of the world?
在晚上，上床睡觉前，你是否要关闭你的电脑？ 在用P2P来分享你的文章或照片时，你是否会离开电脑？午饭时，你是否会开启屏幕保护程序？还有，在运行电脑日常备份时，你是否会让电脑闲置？
为什么不为世界各地做些有意义的贡献呢？
What is Distributed Computing?
Distributed computing is when many computers work together to resolve difficult problems or calculations, becoming a sort of virtual supercomputer. These projects are organized and managed all over the world by scientists, mathematicians and professors, but even you can contribute directly to their success!
什么是分布式计算？
分布式计算是让众多电脑集合起来去解决许多困难的问题，或者说，成为某种意义上的虚拟超级计算机。 这些项目是由来自世界各地的科学家、数学家、教授们组织和管理的， 但是，你可以为他们的成功而直接贡献自己的力量。
There are hundreds of active distributed computing projects and the majority of them are non-profit projects that need volunteers to accomplish the project. A volunteer “donates” bandwidth, processor (CPU/GPU) time, memory (RAM) and space on their hard disk for a project.
For example, a project requires a calculation of 405 million sums. Without a supercomputer it would be impossible to complete it, or it might take years. Instead, if your computer does 20-100 sums, and mine another 100, together with other 100 computers, an army of volunteer computers manages to do it faster and with a lower cost or free for who manages the project.
分布式计算项目现有数百个，大部分是非营利的、需要志愿者去实行的项目。志愿者“捐献”的是用于下载数据的网络带宽、处理器（CPU/GPU）的闲置计算时间、部分内存容量以及一些存储数据用的硬盘空间。
例如，一个项目如果需要运行4.05亿次运算， 在没有超级计算机的前提下，这几乎是不可能完成的任务，或者说是需要许多年才能完成的任务。 不过，要是你的电脑来完成20~100次运算、我的电脑再完成100次、再加上其他100台电脑的参与，一只由众多志愿者电脑组成的大军能使项目完成的更快，也能给项目的管理方提供廉价的、甚至是免费的计算能力。
The first distributed computing project is GIMPS, Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search, begun in 1996, for the search for new prime numbers. Through this project they have discovered 12 new prime numbers in the last 13 years, the most recent in September 2008: 2 37.156.667-1, a number 13 million digits long!
GIMPS（因特网梅森质数大搜索 的简称）开始与1996年，目的是找新质数。 这个项目在过去的13年里已经发现了12个新的质数。最新在2008年9月份发现的一个质数是 2 37,156,667 -1 ，有1300万位数字组成。（p.s.: 其实，这是编号M46的梅森质数。此文之后的2009年4月12号，GIMPS的志愿者发现了这个项目的第13个，编号为M47的大质数，2 42,643,801 -1）
How it Works and How to Get Started
Distributed computing is executed through a program installed locally on your computer. This application communicates with the project servers to download data, resources and upload results. Often a middleware is used to manage more projects (and their applications) together or manage the project across multiple volunteer resources.
如何操作和运行
分布式计算是运行一个安装在你本地电脑上的软件，其功能是与项目服务器联网来下载数据、源文件，并上传运算结果。 一般来说，这需要有一个中间件来集中管理这些项目及其运行，并且同时掌控一个项目与众多由志愿者提供的资源的分配。
You’ve heard of software, the applications that you install on your computer. The hardware are peripherals that have physical space inside your computer. But what is middleware? A middleware is a layer of application that manages to manage more than one application, share resources and driver libraries between them, or manage the priority of the processes of several applications. It can be also used to manage applications and resources across several computers.
你该听说过什么是软件/硬件，软件是安装在你的电脑上的可执行程序；硬件是你电脑里所有实际存在的零件。什么是“中间件”呢？ 中间件是一种应用层的软件，它能管理更多可执行程序，并为它们分配资源和驱动程序库，或者说是管理多个可执行程序的进程优先级。中间件同样能被用于管理跨多台计算机的应用程序和资源。 
BOINC (Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing) is a platform of middleware that permits a volunteer to easily participate in distributed computing because the interaction with the projects is completely managed by it. BOINC is the most well-known and used software with more than 1,5 million users (and 500.000 active users) on all of their projects. It was developed by Berkeley University in 2002 and it’s open source as well as LGPL.
BOINC，伯克利开放式网络计算平台 的简称，就是一个中间件平台，它能让一个志愿者轻松地加入到分布式计算中来，因为项目与用户间的交互，完全由它在管理。BOINC是一个最众所周知的软件，此平台上的所有项目聚集了150万用户（活跃的用户有50万）。 BOINC由伯克利大学在2002年开发的，一个符合LGPL（GUN较宽松公共许可证）开放源代码的软件。
When your computer is idle for a period that you decide (like 10 minutes), a screensaver is activated which communicates with the software installed locally so that it can proceed with the distributed computing. An alternative configuration is to give the calculations low priority so as not to impact the performance of other processes while you are working normally.
当你的电脑空闲时间达到了你设定值后，例如：10分钟，会启动一个屏幕保护程序，这个程序与安装在本地的BOINC软件是联系在一起，这样，BOINC就能开始运行分布式计算的项目了。 还有个两全其美的方法，就是把分布式计算的进程设置成低优先级。这样的话，当你在正常工作的时候，分布式计算的进程就不会挤占工作进程要求的资源，两者可以同时运行而互不影响。
How to get started with BOINC:
1 Choose a project: (there’s a list of all the distributed computing projects on Wikipedia)
2 Download and install BOINC
3 Insert an email address and password (the address will not be published, it serves for some communication from the team, but a way to identify you for credits and interact with the team)
4 At this point your computer is assigned tasks or calculations to complete by the task manager of the project.
5 Your computer will download data files and apps (if necessary) from the project server.
6 When the tasks are completed, it will upload the results onto the remote project server.
7 Your computer will automatically request new tasks based on your preferences.
如何开始使用BOINC：
1 选择一个你感兴趣的项目。 维基百科上有所有分布式计算项目的列表。（p.s.:其实也可以到 中国分布式计算总站 来了解，顺便加入Team China团队也不错）
2 下载、安装 BOINC 软件。
3 填写你有效的e-mail地址和设置一个密码。 e-mail不会被公开，它用于接收一些团队的信息。而且这也是确定用户身份来授予积分，或与团队交流的一个途径。（p.s.:其实，不加入团队也可以。 喜欢单挑还是集团冲锋看自己的习惯）
4 此时，你的电脑由项目管理器在线布置你选择的任务或计算，逐步来完成它。
5 你的电脑从项目服务器上下载数据包或应用程序，有些项目需要下载专用的程序来处理数据包。
6 当任务完成，BOINC会自动把结果上传到项目的远程服务器。
7 你的电脑会按照你设置的参数，自动向服务器要求新的任务。
**You can also participate in a project that does not use the BOINC platform as some are available ad stand-alone distributed computing projects, such as GridMP which is used by the World Community Grid di IBM (and has 200,000 users).
注意：你也可以加入一个不使用BOINC平台的项目，一些公开的分布式计算项目有独立平台，像是：GridMP，一个使用IBM的世界社区网格（IBM、WCG）平台的项目，这个平台有20万用户。
For every set of tasks completed, there is the possibility to earn credits (the appropriate number is determined by the difficulty and/or resources needs to complete them) which are added to your volunteer profile. You can also ask for more tasks and proceed.
在每组任务完成后，就很可能得到积分，一个基于任务的困难程度和/或完成所需的资源标准而授予的恰当数字，这分值也会增加到你的志愿者简介里。 你也可以要求更多的任务来继续增加积分。
Some interesting Distributed Computing projects
There are hundreds of active distributed computing projects all over the world – just look at the list of all the distributed computing projects on Wikipedia to see the possibilities. Many projects are overseen by universities and volunteer groups, and, seeing as BOINC is open source, a project can be started and launched by anyone!
一些有趣的分布式计算项目
全球现在有数百个运行中的分布式计算项目， 只要看看维基百科上有所有分布式计算项目的列表，就能了解这是可能的， 大多数项目是由大学和志愿者团体负责运作的， 可是，鉴于开放的BOINC平台，任何一个人都能开展或发起一个项目。
Here are some interesting and popular projects:
这里有些流行的有趣项目：
SETI@ Home – Perhaps the most well-known BOINC project, SETI@Home is the search for intelligent life outside Earth through radio telescopes.
Combat cancer or AIDS: Compute against Cancer – Help Conquer Cancer or fight AIDS FightAIDS@Home
Folding @ Home da Stanford University: studies protein folding, misfolding, aggregation, and related diseases. Folding @ Home
Einstein @ Home: Uses a computer’s idle time to search for spinning neutron stars (also called pulsars) using data from the LIGO and GEO gravitational wave detectors Einstein @ Home
or if you prefer a more entertaining approach - Project Sudoku or Chess960@Home
or more artistic: RenderFarm@Home to render 3D graphics, The Internet Movie Project to create animated films for the public domain.
SETI@Home - 可能是最家喻户晓的BOINC项目，它是通过射电望远镜来搜寻地外智慧生命的研究。
对抗癌症或AIDS的项目： 为抗击癌症计算的 Help Conquer Cancer 或 与AIDS作斗争的 FightAIDS@Home。
Folding@Home：由斯坦福大学开发，用于研究蛋白质折叠、错误折叠、聚合以及相关疾病的项目。
Einstein@Home：利用电脑的闲置计算时间来搜寻旋转的中子星、也叫做脉冲星、的项目，其数据来自LIGO和GEO引力波探测器。
或者，如果你喜欢比较具娱乐性的项目，有 Project Sudoku 或 Chess960@Home。
以及，更艺术的 RenderFarm@Home 来渲染3D图形。这个因特网电影计划为大众制作动画片。
Mini-FAQ on Distributed Computing
有关分布式计算的小问题
Is it safe? Could I be at risk for spam or viruses?
As all software downloadable through the internet, there could be some risks. For each project you will be asked to download files and executables for that particular project. Take a look at the site and the information available before deciding to participate in a project. Many projects, however, already have thousands (if not millions) of users and a strong and reliable reputation.
The relationship between the volunteer and the project is based on trust of the project and that it:
will provide applications that don’t damage their computer or invade their privacy
is truthful about what work is being done by its applications, and how the resulting intellectual property will be used.
follow proper security practices, so that hackers cannot use the project as a vehicle for malicious activities
<>这安全吗？ 我是否要承担垃圾邮件或病毒的风险？
和所有通过因特网下载的软件一样，存在些风险。每个项目都要求你下载文件并为它独自运行，在决定加入一个项目前，去其网站上看看它的资料，不管怎样，许多已经拥有数千或不足百万用户的项目是有良好且可靠的信誉的。
志愿者与项目的关系是基于对项目的信任，这就要求项目做到：
所提供的应用程序，不能损坏他们的电脑，且不能侵犯他们的隐私；
项目应用程序所做的一切工作要是可信赖的，且公布最终的有知识产权的结果会如何使用；
提供适当的安全措施并随之发展，这样，那些入侵的破坏者就不能利用项目去进行恶意活动。
Is there a minimum commitment to participate?
Your commitment is as you decide. You can connect one day and another no. Your participation is divided into sets of tasks, so you can complete your current tasks and then stop, or immediately continue with new tasks.
<>加入计算有最小贡献量限制吗？
你的贡献大小取决于你自己的决定。 你可以今天连续计算而明天停止。你的参与是分布在一系列的任务里，因而你可以在算完了当前的任务后不再参与，或者决定立即参加新任务继续。
Does it cost to participate?
Obviously there can be costs in terms of electricity consumed due to the fact that you leave your PC on to participate in distributed computing when it might be otherwise turned off. But maybe not. How many times have you left the PC “just for a moment” and then you come back a half hour later? This time (and electricity) “lost” would be much welcomed.
<>参与计算费钱嘛？
显而易见，事实是，如果你只为了参与分布式计算， 在应该关闭电脑的时候 却让它开着， 电力消耗会是费钱的。
也可能不用这样。想想你有多少次本打算离开电脑“只要一小会儿”，可是却在一个半小时或更久后才回来？ 如果电脑在运行分布式计算的话，在这种时间“浪费”下的电费“损失”会是值得庆幸的。可接受。
And bettering the world will have a cost anyway, and you want to help, right?
让世界变得越来越好，无论如何会有代价的。 而且，你也想帮忙，对吗？ |
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发表于 2010-4-2 21:16:32