BOINC: Large-Scale, High-Performance Computing Software
«BOINC» is software created and distributed under the open source license known as «Licencia Pública General Reducida de GNU (Lesser General Public License - LGPL)». So that, among other things, it can be used for commercial purposes, without major restrictions.
This Software is specifically developed to perform Projects of «Computación de alto rendimiento y gran escala»In other words, to facilitate and achieve the implementation of computing platforms that involve thousands or millions of computers around the world.
«BOINC»can also be used for Voluntary Computing Projects, that is, through the use of everyday devices for mass consumption, or Grid Computing, that is, through the use of organizational, public or private computing resources. Further, «BOINC» supports the use of virtualized, parallel and GPU-based applications.
Reasons why, currently «BOINC»is used in many volunteer IT projects, many of which are associated with scientific, public and / or private research, mostly carried out by and in universities and research laboratories. Projects to which, many times anyone can join to participate at any time.
Current BOINC projects
«BOINC»is software created, hosted and sponsored by the University of California, riding a Berkeley, since 2002, with funding mainly from the US National Science Foundation. So your Official website is hosted on your domain. Which has allowed the software, its source code, its documentation and development to be accessible to the entire community interested in a project of this magnitude.
Regarding projects where«BOINC» has been used successfully we find as the most recent, one made by the «Universidad de Bristol (Inglaterra, Reino Unido)» through a team led by the teacher «Andrew Booker» and in the company of «Andrew Sutherland», professor of mathematics «Instituto de Tecnología de Massachusetts (MIT)».
The goal of this project was to solve through a computer system called «Motor de Caridad (Charity Engine)» using the «BOINC» as a basis, the famous and ancient problem of «Suma de los 3 Cubos» for specifically the number 42. As you can deepen in the following link: «Soluciones de la Ecuación Diofantina x^3+y^3+z^3=k».
In such a way, that by «Charity Engine», which is a platform that uses the computing power of more than 500 thousand home computers, while they are inactive, the process equivalent to calculate for more than a million hours, to obtain the answer to said computer problem.
List
About 30 science projects use «BOINC». Scientific projects in various areas that can range from disease research, global warming to complex astronomical and cosmological studies, among many other areas, such as Search for extraterrestrial life that the acquaintance carries out Project «SETI».
Among the most recognized and interesting projects are:
- CAS @ Home
- climateprediction.net
- Cosmology @ Home
- Einstein @ Home
- Enigma @ Home
- LHC @ Home
- Milkyway @ home
- MindModeling @ Home
- Quake Catcher Network
- Rosetta @ home
- SETI @ home
- Universe @ Home
- World Community Grid
And in case you want to know more about each of them and others, click on the following link: BOINC projects.
Conclusion
This shows us that el «Software Libre y de Código Abierto» well used, as in the case of «BOINC», can you allow us help in many spheres of the cutting edge scientific research, whether using supercomputers in prestigious Research Centers or renowned Scientific Laboratories or simply using simple computers with any Operating System (Windows, Mac, Linux) or mass consumer device, such as mobile or portable devices with Android.
In addition, the advantage of this type of technology is that it allows us to contribute without major sacrifices in the use of our own equipment, since most and in the specific case of «BOINC», it downloads the instructions or necessary tasks on the computer where it is installed and then invisibly executes the necessary processes in the background. Making the task for which it is intended easy and safe, without interrupting or causing problems for the users who own the equipment.
I dare to venture that this type of software can also solve one of the biggest obstacles we have with it.«Software Libre y de Código Abierto», Which is the financing.
Since based on it, a project could be created whose application generates dividends, in currencies or cryptocurrencies, to those who implement it on their «Sistemas Operativos», so that later those same extra income are used for payments or donations of more Free Software projects.
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