I'm having increased frustration about your News caster people and how they communicate to the users what’s going on around the project. Almost every time you post a news topic, you use the development terms like "scheduler", "splitter" or "transitioner" or the likes, and for any regular people this will be a foreign language. Therefor I urge you not to use those terms on the page and simply speak plain English. Also try to explain more whenever you change something that will directly affect the clients so we know what to do. Also do I have to remind you that your no longer in Beta stage, so stop acting like you are, be professionals.

Other then that you’re doing a great job and I'm waiting with great excitement for the next big upgrade of BOINC.

> I'm having increased frustration about your News caster people and how they
> communicate to the users what’s going on around the project. Almost every time
> you post a news topic, you use the development terms like "scheduler",
> "splitter" or "transitioner" or the likes, and for any regular people this
> will be a foreign language. Therefor I urge you not to use those terms on the
> page and simply speak plain English. Also try to explain more whenever you
> change something that will directly affect the clients so we know what to do.
> Also do I have to remind you that your no longer in Beta stage, so stop acting
> like you are, be professional.
>
> Other then that you’re doing a great job and I'm waiting with great excitement
> for the next big upgrade of BOINC.

unfortunatey, that IS plain english, YOU on the otherhand, do not know the terms of the project. I suggest you go look them up.

Fox
[/url]

> unfortunatey, that IS plain english, YOU on the otherhand, do not know the
> terms of the project. I suggest you go look them up.
>

No I have to tell you It's NOT plain English, since every time a new News post is up i have to go to the forum to find out what going on. and it should not be.

> I'm having increased frustration about your News caster people and how they
> communicate to the users what’s going on around the project. Almost every time
> you post a news topic, you use the development terms like "scheduler",
> "splitter" or "transitioner" or the likes, and for any regular people this
> will be a foreign language. Therefor I urge you not to use those terms on the
> page and simply speak plain English. Also try to explain more whenever you
> change something that will directly affect the clients so we know what to do.
> Also do I have to remind you that your no longer in Beta stage, so stop acting
> like you are, be professionals.
>
> Other then that you’re doing a great job and I'm waiting with great excitement
> for the next big upgrade of BOINC.

Sometimes I'm a bit in the dark too and go in some kind of guessing mode - but hey, I'm from denmark and engish isn't my native language so it's only natural to be in the dark sometimes ;-)

I'm not 100% sure what a scheduler is in computer-terms, but the more I read on this site the more I get an idea. Splitters I'm guessing is the software that split the datatape-data into smaller chunks of data which results in the wu's we download. Still totally in the dark about transitioners. In the end I'm just happy they don't accomodate the wishes of some which borders on explanations in source-code ;-)

/Cheering for third olympic gold in a row for the danish womens handball team/
S@h Berkeley's Staff Friends Club © member

> Sometimes I'm a bit in the dark too and go in some kind of guessing mode - but
> hey, I'm from denmark and engish isn't my native language so it's only natural
> to be in the dark sometimes ;-)
>
> I'm not 100% sure what a scheduler is in computer-terms, but the more I read
> on this site the more I get an idea. Splitters I'm guessing is the software
> that split the datatape-data into smaller chunks of data which results in the
> wu's we download. Still totally in the dark about transitioners. In the end
> I'm just happy they don't accomodate the wishes of some which borders on
> explanations in source-code ;-)
>
>

Thanks Bruno for trying to explain the terms I mention, but I do know what those terms mean (or at least I think I do). My point is that they should not use those and others terms on the front page. It is simply confusing for people that is not as intellectual as the other guy, but still want to use BOINC and follow the project.

> Thanks Bruno for trying to explain the terms I mention, but I do know what
> those terms mean (or at least I think I do). My point is that they should not
> use those and others terms on the front page. It is simply confusing for
> people that is not as intellectual as the other guy, but still want to use
> BOINC and follow the project.

Personally I'd think the better way would be to have some kind of dictionary, with more detailed explanations to those terms.

/Cheering for third olympic gold in a row for the danish womens handball team/
S@h Berkeley's Staff Friends Club © member

> Personally I'd think the better way would be to have some kind of dictionary,
> with more detailed explanations to those terms.

Your point is valid, however there exists a wealth of information regarding BOINC, in terms of FAQ's etc. All users really ought to at least attempt a look through the BOINC home page.

Bruno, the dictionary you are looking for does exist. You can find it here.

Smoky,

I'd like to say i'm sorry I was so harsh at you.
We had a few problems at our house this afternoon, and I wrongly vented on this and a few other forums. anyways, cool down time now had, I was going to link you to Paul D. Buck's Glossary, but ralic beat me to it. damn you ralic :P

-Fox
[/url]

> > Personally I'd think the better way would be to have some kind of
> dictionary,
> > with more detailed explanations to those terms.
>
> Your point is valid, however there exists a wealth of information regarding
> BOINC, in terms of FAQ's etc. All users really ought to at least
> attempt a look through the BOINC home
> page.
>
> Bruno, the dictionary you are looking for does exist. You can find it <a> href="http://homepage.mac.com/pauldbuck/site-common/glossary/glossary-over.html">here[/url].

;-) thanks ;-) which make it possible for the dev.-team to continue keeping their news-messages short, to the point and simple ;-)

ps: personally I don't need to know these things as the important information always is clear ;-)

/Cheering for third olympic gold in a row for the danish womens handball team/
S@h Berkeley's Staff Friends Club © member

Well the problem here is that they have to strike a delicate balance between the hardcore BOINC/SAH nerds who KNOW the system and all the unwashed masses who don't. As we have seen on these boards, the nerds get very upset when they don't get regular updates which include much detail of the type you want LESS of. I'm not really sure how they could 'dumb it down' much more though. Then you would be getting news updates like "The computer is broken. We are working on a fix." The transitioner, splitter, scheduler, etc. are parts of the system and to make an accurate news report you pretty much have to use the terms. Maybe a better solution would be to have a 'simple & quick' news update on the main page with a link to more detailed info on another page. But seeing as how we barely get news updates as is, I won't be holding my breath for that :)



-------------------------------------------
- A member of The Knights Who Say NI!
Possibly the best stats site in the universe:
http://boinc-kwsn.no-ip.info

> Well the problem here is that they have to strike a delicate balance between
> the hardcore BOINC/SAH nerds who KNOW the system and all the unwashed masses
> who don't. As we have seen on these boards, the nerds get very upset when
> they don't get regular updates which include much detail of the type you want
> LESS of. I'm not really sure how they could 'dumb it down' much more though.
> Then you would be getting news updates like "The computer is broken. We are
> working on a fix." The transitioner, splitter, scheduler, etc. are parts of
> the system and to make an accurate news report you pretty much have to use the
> terms. Maybe a better solution would be to have a 'simple & quick' news
> update on the main page with a link to more detailed info on another page.
> But seeing as how we barely get news updates as is, I won't be holding my
> breath for that :)
>


> -------------------------------------------
> - A member of The Knights Who Say NI!
> Possibly the best stats site in the universe:
> http://boinc-kwsn.no-ip.info
>

Amen, Toby! The more technical and in-depth the news, the better! In my opinion, the 'unwashed masses' that wish to be kept 'informed' should perhaps go 'take a bath' and educate themselves.
------------
KWSN-MajorKong
KWSN Forum Admin (retired)
http://www.kwsnforum.com

BOINC Beta tester
Member of the 'Magnificent 7'

Splitters;
SETI@home looks at 2.5 MHz of data, centered at 1420 MHz. This is still too broad a spectrum to send to you for analysis, so we break this spectrum space up into 256 pieces, each 10 kHz wide (more like 9766 Hz, but we'll simplify the numbers to make calculations easier to see). This is done with a software program called the "splitter". These 10 kHz pieces are now more manageable in size. To record signals up to 10 KHz you have to record the bits at 20,000 bits per second (kbps). (This is called the Nyquist frequency.) We send you about 107 seconds of this 10 kHz (20kbps) data. 100 seconds times 20,000 bits equals 2,000,000 bits, or about 0.25 megabyte given that there are 8 bits per byte. Again, we call this 0.25 megabyte chunk a "work-unit." We also send you lots of additional info about the work-unit, so the total comes out to about 340 kbytes of data

Scheduling Server;
This Server coordinates the work that is issued to make the best use of the computers available to process the work that is ready for issue. This is a project specific server and may be referred to as the "Project Scheduling Server".

Transitioner
This program is supplied by BOINC and is application independent. It handles state transitions of workunits and results. It generates initial results for workunits, and generates more results when timeouts or errors occur

More info can be found here;
http://homepage.mac.com/pauldbuck/site-common/glossary/glossary-over.html

Hope this helps

;^))


Teamless? Drop by ours and have a look SETI Synergy, also checkout BOINC World/Team/Indiv Stats

> Smoky,
>
> I'd like to say i'm sorry I was so harsh at you.
> We had a few problems at our house this afternoon, and I wrongly vented on
> this and a few other forums. anyways, cool down time now had, I was going to
> link you to Paul D. Buck's Glossary, but ralic beat me to it. damn you ralic
> :P

PyroFox, no harm done:)

> To KWSN Majorkong
>
> 'unwashed masses' that wish to be kept 'informed' should perhaps go 'take a
> bath' and educate themselves.
>
>
> If this is an example of YOUR intelligence then the phrase pig ignorant
> redneck comes to mind.
>
> I suggest you remember we're not all conservative Americans on this forum
>

> I'm having increased frustration about your News caster people and how they
> communicate to the users what’s going on around the project. Almost every time
> you post a news topic, you use the development terms like "scheduler",
> "splitter" or "transitioner" or the likes, and for any regular people this
> will be a foreign language. Therefor I urge you not to use those terms on the
> page and simply speak plain English. Also try to explain more whenever you
> change something that will directly affect the clients so we know what to do.
> Also do I have to remind you that your no longer in Beta stage, so stop acting
> like you are, be professionals.
>
> Other then that you’re doing a great job and I'm waiting with great excitement
> for the next big upgrade of BOINC.
>
>

Plain English, [i]It is broken, we are looking at the system to locate the problem, it is fix or will be fixed soon[/url]....

This 'SPACE' Rented.

The anonymity of the Internet, brings
forth, yet another EXPERT.

M7 Seti@h Berkeley's Staff Friends Club ©

> Well the problem here is that they have to strike a delicate balance between
> the hardcore BOINC/SAH nerds who KNOW the system and all the unwashed masses
> who don't. I find that offensive As we have seen on these boards, the nerds get very upset when
> they don't get regular updates which include much detail of the type you want
> LESS of. I'm not really sure how they could 'dumb it down' this also is offensive much more though.
> Then you would be getting news updates like "The computer is broken. We are
> working on a fix." hey you stole that from me lolol The transitioner, splitter, scheduler, etc. are parts of
> the system and to make an accurate news report you pretty much have to use the
> terms. Maybe a better solution would be to have a 'simple & quick' news
> update on the main page with a link to more detailed info on another page. I was wondering when you would get around to the way Predictor does it heh
> But seeing as how we barely get news updates as is, I won't be holding my
> breath for that :)we get plenty in my estimation
>


> -------------------------------------------
> - A member of The Knights Who Say NI!
> Possibly the best stats site in the universe:, here is what it is all about
> http://boinc-kwsn.no-ip.info
>

This 'SPACE' Rented.

The anonymity of the Internet, brings
forth, yet another EXPERT.

M7 Seti@h Berkeley's Staff Friends Club ©

Documentation Menu
Release Notes
BOINC FAQ
BOINC Owner's Manual
SETI@Home Web Site Owner's Manual
SETI FAQ

> Plain English, [i]It is broken, we are looking at the system to locate the
> problem, it is fix or will be fixed soon[/url]....
>

Ok, care to fix it? Instead of pointing fingers give a hand!

> > Well the problem here is that they have to strike a delicate balance
> between
> > the hardcore BOINC/SAH nerds who KNOW the system and all the unwashed
> masses
> > who don't.

The above is a good explanation!

> > Maybe a better solution would be to have a 'simple & quick'
> news
> > update on the main page with a link to more detailed info on another
> page.

The above would be great, but....

> > But seeing as how we barely get news updates as is, I won't be holding
> my
> > breath for that :)

He's probably right with the above statement.

>
> Amen, Toby! The more technical and in-depth the news, the better!

Only a nerd like YOU would make such a statement as the above! It's probably because of people like you that drive others, who are in it just for the "fun", away. They cannot get the information they need to understand what's going on because people like YOU make statements such as the following:

> In my
> opinion, the 'unwashed masses' that wish to be kept 'informed' should perhaps
> go 'take a bath' and educate themselves.

Now, why would someone like you, who is apparently "educated", make such a stupid statement? Have some compassion man! Share the knowledge you have gained and help those who do not understand the things that you DO. Some people, (myself included), can't afford to go to a college to learn what you have. I have learned what I know by reading, reading, reading.... But, if someone wants to understand what's going on here, you expect them to go somewhere else to find out. What is so WRONG with you just giving someone a short explanation of what a "splitter" is or a "transitioner" is, etc. Don't just send them away, help them out. THAT is what these forums are all about, is it not?

I started reading these forums so that I could have a better understanding of what is happening. I use to read some of your posts but quit because of the lack of compassion. I just happened to read this one by accident and felt the need to reply to it. L8R....

---
<p>Rick A. - BOINCing right along now....</p>
<p>It can only get better! Live Long and Prosper....</p>

<p>There is no fate but that which we make for ourselves.

The news page should reflect what is broken, which piece of the myriad pieces of the server code. If you don't understand and don't know, this turns into an it. It should also give a best estimate of how long it will take to fix. Remember that any time given before a fix has actually occurred is just an estimate, and is almost guaranteed to be wrong. It should also include what the repercussions to the users is, i.e. is work going to be lost, credit lost, just downtime.