PS3 Supercomputing Grid

[mcy_999]

http://www.informationweek.com/news/...leID=199000285

"Sony is mulling over the idea of offering product discounts and other incentives to entice PlayStation 3 users into forming a supercomputing grid that could be leased to businesses."

I'm ready to receive those incentives at anytime.

[nhaase]

I do folding@home a few days a week, but I think my electricity bill would get quite high keeping it on all day every day. So, while I still do it out of charity, I would be willing to fold more often if they somehow covered some costs.

Also, about the folding@home, I always read people saying, "Let's cure these diseases!" and other things to that effect. I don't want to burst your bubbles, but don't expect giant leaps from this effort. We know such a small amount about protein folding that it's laughable (I'm a scientist w/ biochemistry background, so I'm part of that group). Don't get me wrong, this helps IMMENSELY, the computing clusters dedicated for these tasks are huge and expensive, and this spreads that out. If we figure out the correct process for just one protein folding CORRECTLY in a cell, step-by-step, it is a big blue print that can be applied to other proteins. The diseases being studied fold incorrectly, so it's even harder to find out where they veer off the road.

I just don't want people getting upset down the road when they're wondering why Alzheimer's is still around.

[nhaase]

This is from that article:

At this point, Sony is studying the idea -- first trying to determine how many PS3 owners would be willing to participate and at what cost. "It's all in the research phase, right now," Karraker said. "If consumers ultimately say they don't want this, then obviously we won't do it."

Nevertheless, Sony is serious about following through with the idea, if it's commercially feasible. In the meantime, PS3 owners interested in joining in will have to stay tuned.


Let us make this a place where Sony can turn and see how many PS3 owners would take part in this.

[jermwhl]

I'm willing! I rarely shut my PS3 off, I leave it folding alot. I usually shut it off about every 3 days.
Concerning energy, how much do you think a PS3 can draw? If you left it on an entire 30 days, would you see a significant increase in your energy bill?
I have 3 PC's that run constantly, I never shut them off.

[mcy_999]

Originally Posted by nhaase

I do folding@home a few days a week, but I think my electricity bill would get quite high keeping it on all day every day. So, while I still do it out of charity, I would be willing to fold more often if they somehow covered some costs.

There are more than 200,000 users have signed up folding@home out of charity. How many more would sign up Supercomputing Grid with incentives if Sony indeed would go commercial with this thing? How about a free BD movie from Sony every other month? Would that do it?