Interesting Distributed-Computing Concept

07/13/2005 10:54:52 AM · #1

I ran across a cool screen saver program, electric sheep, that displays animated fractal patterns via MPEG-2 files that are generated using a distributed-computing schema. Your 'pooter provides some processing power to generate frames for new variations of the "electric sheep." You also can "vote" for the sheep you like or dislike, and thus guide the evolution of the "flock." A pretty interesting little project with absolutely no practical side. I like it, LOL.
For reference, the name is derived from the title of an outstanding novel by Philip K Dick, "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" The novel was the basis for the movie "Blade Runner."

Message edited by author 2005-07-13 10:55:37.

dwoolridge

07/13/2005 01:12:07 PM · #2

Sheep has been around forever and it still hasn't lost its shine.
Our community server co-hosts the backend processing.

07/13/2005 02:03:53 PM · #3

Originally posted by dwoolridge:

...Our community server co-hosts the backend processing.

He said sheepishly ;-)

07/13/2005 02:04:37 PM · #4

Originally posted by kirbic:

Originally posted by dwoolridge:
...Our community server co-hosts the backend processing.

He said sheepishly ;-)

Edit: Shameless excuse for a bump, no?

totaldis

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

07/13/2005 02:34:30 PM · #5

if your interested in distributed computing you should take a look at distributed folding. instead of making sheep you could make cures for diseases.

"What are proteins and why do they "fold"? Proteins are biology's workhorses -- its "nanomachines." Before proteins can carry out their biochemical function, they remarkably assemble themselves, or "fold." The process of protein folding, while critical and fundamental to virtually all of biology, remains a mystery. Moreover, perhaps not surprisingly, when proteins do not fold correctly (i.e. "misfold"), there can be serious effects, including many well known diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Mad Cow (BSE), CJD, ALS, Huntington's, Parkinson's disease, and many cancers and cancer-related syndromes. "

//folding.stanford.edu