F@H Challenge thread, 2021

[10esseetony]

There has been some discussion of [H] vs TAAT in a Folding@Home competition. Some time early this year? Mid January to Mid February, all of February?

Thoughts, ideas, suggestions? @biodoc @Coleslaw

Maybe we could just pit [H] against Markfw, and Pokey?

[biodoc]

This was the race we had last year on the anniversary of the bigadv EOL. We can do it again if [H] is up for it.

[crashtech]

Last year was kind of a beatdown which is less fun than if we can line up more equal firepower. I'm not sure if their participation rate was just poor, or if they aren't the team they used to be. But I think this time if we do it maybe there should maybe be a longer sign-up period to get more [H] members on board?

[StefanR5R]

Last year's challenge consisted of the entire [H]ard|OCP team (no sign-up), versus TeAm AnandTech members who signed up. Maybe have [H] members sign up too, and then make 3 teams. Edit: That'd be a lot more work for the stats master though.

[Coleslaw]

A few of the same members from last year and a few of the newer members that have joined up has recently stated some interest. We are only slowly gaining more interest in a FAH again. I cannot tell you what overall participation will look like as the forums are pretty lacking in participation and most discussions happen amongst our most active BOINC members. We are very GPU lite as a team goes but we are trying to encourage more participation by having such an event. We are up for however you guys want to go about it but would certainly like team [H] to all stay on one team merely for trying to encourage those sleeping or new to this to feel it is a team effort overall. I've heard some mention not wanting it to be more than a week but I think 2 weeks could also work. With Bitcoin/crypto being so high right now, many are capitalizing on the opportunity to GPU mine. So, it will be hard to pull people away from such things to return to DC as it is.

[Icecold]

Is there another friendly team that we could get to join in? I was thinking maybe the numbers would work out of it was TAAT vs [H] and another team combined.

[Coleslaw]

Well...that is part of the issue. TAAT and [H] have a good relationship with each other and helping out. Not a lot of teams left that have good relations like that. OcUK is pretty much dead these days. EVGA (both BOINC and FAH) are barely limping along. (though they are traditionally our enemies) Not sure what other teams would really be a good fit AND be interested in it.

[biodoc]

Markfw and pokey would definitely like to participate but they each average 42 M PPD on FAH. [H] as a team is averaging 169,115,049 PPD so maybe the same format as last year would work. It depends on how many TAAT members sign up and how many GPUs they toss into the race.

[biodoc]

It looks as though [H] has stepped up production this year. Perhaps the fight against covid-19 was the trigger.

[motqalden]

Yes we had a lot of users come back due to the covid work units and most of them are sticking around hopefully?
I had thoughts that this might even out things depending on how much of an uptick you guys also had.
I would be happy to participate, but I don't really want to run for more than a week or 10 days.

I also think inviting other teams would be nice! Not sure where we could advertise per se and we would have to agree on a place where we could post stats etc for all teams to view and comments and what not. Could just randomly jump around to team forums and post the contest details like "setifan" does for a lot of SG events

[Coleslaw]

I am also not sure how much of that production jump will stick around as at least one user that contributed a very large amount recently said it was only temporary. But, yes we are hoping to get more stick around as tempers have calmed over the years.

[crashtech]

Yes we had a lot of users come back due to the covid work units and most of them are sticking around hopefully?
I had thoughts that this might even out things depending on how much of an uptick you guys also had.
I would be happy to participate, but I don't really want to run for more than a week or 10 days.

I also think inviting other teams would be nice! Not sure where we could advertise per se and we would have to agree on a place where we could post stats etc for all teams to view and comments and what not. Could just randomly jump around to team forums and post the contest details like "setifan" does for a lot of SG events

Hi, welcome to our little group!

[10esseetony]

Hiya! @motqalden Good to see you!

[motqalden]

Thanks for having me!

[Skillz]

Hey Bud, long time. Welcome

[endgame124]

For a contest, I could switch back to fold for [H] like I used to ages ago to put some more points on the [H] side. The problem is I’m just not worth very many points until I can secure a 3080 or two - 1x 1080ti isn’t what it used to be. My 3am trips to microcenter netted me a processor, and confirmed I’m too cheap to buy a 3090 4 months after release

[biodoc]

This was the race we had last year on the anniversary of the bigadv EOL. We can do it again if [H] is up for it.

The dates we ran this race last year overlaps with the PG "Tour de Primes" this year. Perhaps we can run it the last week of January.

[biodoc]

I started a thread in the [H] forum to see if there's interest.

[Icecold]

For a contest, I could switch back to fold for [H] like I used to ages ago to put some more points on the [H] side. The problem is I’m just not worth very many points until I can secure a 3080 or two - 1x 1080ti isn’t what it used to be. My 3am trips to microcenter netted me a processor, and confirmed I’m too cheap to buy a 3090 4 months after release

If it helps even things out at all I wouldn't have an issue folding for [H} either.

[motqalden]

I don't think we need you guys team hopping us lol. That would take the challenge out of the challenge. I am hoping we have a much nicer turn out this year. I am locking in another 3070 tomorrow so you ladies better watch out
@Skillz you should get an SSL cert.

[biodoc]

It looks like there's enough interest at [H] so I'll start a thread on the Anandtech forum to recruit racers.

[10esseetony]

I don't think we need you guys team hopping us lol. That would take the challenge out of the challenge. I am hoping we have a much nicer turn out this year. I am locking in another 3070 tomorrow so you ladies better watch out
@Skillz you should get an SSL cert.

Ah crap. One new card that will nearly wipe out my production with 3 cards.

[biodoc]

Here's the race threads at Anandtech and the [H]ardForum.

We need some TAAT members to sign up or else they will kick our butts.

[Skillz]

@Skillz you should get an SSL cert.

Yeah I need to do some research on how to get that done. Haven't had time to do anything for a while now.

[biodoc]

@Skillz you should get an SSL cert.

Yeah I need to do some research on how to get that done. Haven't had time to do anything for a while now.

If it requires $, let me know and I'll pay for it.

[motqalden]

Yes you can pay for one at like your domain provider but you can also get free ones so I would do that if you can. new 3070 installed and maybe one more that i will pick up before the contest here yet! wonder how many ppd i will be pulling. Certainly more than last year

[endgame124]

Where are you getting all these 3070s? I can’t even land video cards rolling into microcenter at 4am

[motqalden]

Where are you getting all these 3070s? I can’t even land video cards rolling into microcenter at 4am

Mostly off of local Facebook Marketplace. If you look hard enough you can find deals. One of the ones i bought i paid +$50 over the sticker + tax which was pretty reasonable, one i paid almost right at sticker +tax as it was "used" and for the last one i picked up last week some kind person had been in a local "que" and then got a card through another source so they let me pick up their card from the store for them claiming their spot in the que so i paid straight retail for that one.

[motqalden]

Yeah I also have had ZERO luck finding one from the big box such as newegg / bestbuy / amazon etc and I had not really thought about getting 3070's previously so i didn't bother getting in the evga que which is where i got my 3080

[crashtech]

I used up all my hardware money for Q1 doing crazy stuff in December. Hopefully by spring, GPU availability will be better.