On Mon, 12 Feb 2001 13:29:01 -0500, you wrote:
>>This frankly makes me wonder how much longer there will be a place in
>>GIMPS for slower machines. I'm not saying that's a bad thing - after
>>all, 486s and original pentiums were the workforce when GIMPS began,
>>and I wouldn't feel comfortable with the amount of opportunity for
>>error involved in using one for GIMPS now.
>
>I have been working on this project for about five years now. My first two
>years with a 486DX266, and now with a Cyrix 266. My computer works fine
>for now, and I do not need any more power (and I lack 2k-3k to invest in
>video games) I have worked on trial factoring, and have received little
>credit on the LL testing page. I hate to think that my faithfulness and
>determination on this project will be overshadowed by passer-by's with
>hotrodded gaming machines. Isn't this project about the power of numbers
>rather than the strength of one? Lets face it, RC5 type projects are just
>guess-my-number with a big number, and SETI is just looking for the
>nonexistant. I always saw this project as a promotion of better
>programming and a way to raise awareness of fun in mathamatics. I just
>hope it does not become a ruler for peoples' computing <ahem> masculinity
>while bumping the people who put it where it is.
>
>Brian
>[EMAIL PROTECTED]
I don't see it that way at all. My point in posting the message was
to consider how long /any/ older machines - including my own Pentium 3
- will be able to really contribute.
I'm sorry if I upset you - I just thought I'd mention the implications
for /all/ of us who don't have the latest hardware. As an aside, your
Cyrex 266 is about 3 times as fast as the "original pentiums" I
refered to as being obsolete, so I think there's a definate
distinction - and hopefully will be for years yet to come.
Even a 486 could still be used for trial-factoring, or for ECM, which
would take such a machine roughly fifteen minutes in some cases. As
regards RC5 and SETI, I believe I started a discussion on that issue
when I first arrived on the list (late January 2000, IIRC). You might
find that discussion interesting - especially the manner in which some
of the senior GIMPS members responded to me.
Nathan
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