What is a "Result" in Your Computers?

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Message 500196 - Posted: 9 Jan 2007, 23:31:36 UTC
Last modified: 9 Jan 2007, 23:40:55 UTC

Ok...this seems like a dumb question...on the "Your Computers" webpage, it lists a "Results" column.

Now, I've been running about 10 pcs since early November and none have more than 43 results! Many of my machines are dual-core Intel chips and each of those pcs is processing at least 4 work units a day...probably 8. So if we take 60 days (since Nov) and multiply that by 4, the machines should have 240 or so Results per machine.

Right? Or is this webpage's statistics completely based on a the last 30 days?

Thanks for the help.

-Eric

p.s. I did not see any FAQ or Terminology type webpages on this site...SAH should add them or at least have them linked on the homepage.
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Message 500203 - Posted: 9 Jan 2007, 23:46:06 UTC - in response to Message 500196.  

Ok...this seems like a dumb question...on the "Your Computers" webpage, it lists a "Results" column.

Now, I've been running about 10 pcs since early November and none have more than 43 results! Many of my machines are dual-core Intel chips and each of those pcs is processing at least 4 work units a day...probably 8. So if we take 60 days (since Nov) and multiply that by 4, the machines should have 240 or so Results per machine.

Right? Or is this webpage's statistics completely based on a the last 30 days?

Thanks for the help.

-Eric

p.s. I did not see any FAQ or Terminology type webpages on this site...SAH should add them or at least have them linked on the homepage.

Actually, it can be much less than 30 days. Results on the web page are removed once the last result for the Work Unit is received and either validated or rejected (or if the WU is validated, and the last result due is late). The validation of a result can happen any time from 0 seconds after report to a couple of months given precisely perfect bad luck - typical is probably a few days.


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Message 500278 - Posted: 10 Jan 2007, 2:22:38 UTC - in response to Message 500203.  

so what is the point of the column on the page?
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Message 500281 - Posted: 10 Jan 2007, 2:26:24 UTC - in response to Message 500278.  

so what is the point of the column on the page?


To let you see how many outstanding results you have and how other systems are comparing to yours in the data found (in case you have an error, this will let you know if it's your machine or everyone's).

Once all the results are in, there's virtually no real reason to keep that information available as it would consume mass amounts of hard drive space on the servers (not to mention the servers would have to have enough RAM to cache all that information for the several thousand systems crunching lest the entire database slow to a crawl).
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Message 500372 - Posted: 10 Jan 2007, 5:20:00 UTC
Last modified: 10 Jan 2007, 5:35:54 UTC

I still don't get it. Can someone please give me an example of what this column is useful for? To me "Results" is a poorly named column (and at least they could have a Help screen that defines it). For example, is "results":

1)results of that computer since yesterday?
2)results of that computer since 30 days ago?
3)results of that computer that have NOT been verified?
4)results of that computer that HAVE been verified?

Seriously. Throw me a bone here. Can someone explain it in simple terms and give me some examples like "Computer ABC has 10 Results on Jan 1, 2007...and on Jan 2, 2007 it now has 23...the reason is..."

-Eric
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Message 500386 - Posted: 10 Jan 2007, 6:36:39 UTC - in response to Message 500372.  
Last modified: 10 Jan 2007, 6:57:22 UTC

I still don't get it. Can someone please give me an example of what this column is useful for? To me "Results" is a poorly named column (and at least they could have a Help screen that defines it). For example, is "results":

1)results of that computer since yesterday?
2)results of that computer since 30 days ago?
3)results of that computer that have NOT been verified?
4)results of that computer that HAVE been verified?

Seriously. Throw me a bone here. Can someone explain it in simple terms and give me some examples like "Computer ABC has 10 Results on Jan 1, 2007...and on Jan 2, 2007 it now has 23...the reason is..."

-Eric

The number represents the WU still listed in the user database for that computer. Clicking the result number takes you to the page listing the recent WU that were assigned to that computer. This includes work assigned to the computer that have not yet been reported, the results that have been reported but waiting validation and results that have been checked for validity (with credits granted or rejected as invalid) that have not yet been deleted from the user database. It may also on rare occasions contain so called ghost WU which the system believes were sent to you but for some reason never made it to your computer. The amount of time the result remain listed after completion of validation is varied as needed by the project managers and the resource load on the server demands.

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Message 500469 - Posted: 10 Jan 2007, 14:05:47 UTC - in response to Message 500386.  

I still don't get it. Can someone please give me an example of what this column is useful for? To me "Results" is a poorly named column (and at least they could have a Help screen that defines it). For example, is "results":

1)results of that computer since yesterday?
2)results of that computer since 30 days ago?
3)results of that computer that have NOT been verified?
4)results of that computer that HAVE been verified?

Seriously. Throw me a bone here. Can someone explain it in simple terms and give me some examples like "Computer ABC has 10 Results on Jan 1, 2007...and on Jan 2, 2007 it now has 23...the reason is..."

-Eric

The number represents the WU still listed in the user database for that computer. Clicking the result number takes you to the page listing the recent WU that were assigned to that computer. This includes work assigned to the computer that have not yet been reported, the results that have been reported but waiting validation and results that have been checked for validity (with credits granted or rejected as invalid) that have not yet been deleted from the user database. It may also on rare occasions contain so called ghost WU which the system believes were sent to you but for some reason never made it to your computer. The amount of time the result remain listed after completion of validation is varied as needed by the project managers and the resource load on the server demands.



Well, I still don't get it. :) Here's what I do understand:

Clicking the result number takes you to the page listing the recent WU that were assigned to that computer. This includes work assigned to the computer that have not yet been reported, the results that have been reported but waiting validation and results that have been checked for validity (with credits granted or rejected as invalid) that have not yet been deleted from the user database.


I've understood that from the get-go because that follow up page is very detailed.

Here's what I don't get:
The number represents the WU still listed in the user database for that computer.


As I mentioned, I have numerous dual-cpu machines that are running 24x7 for 60+ days and all each has is about 40 "results"? I, again, don't get it. What do you mean by "still listed in the user database for that user"? Are you implying that they get deleted? If so, when? How often? Under what conditions? Etc. If they never get deleted then why are there only ~40 per computer when there should be over 300? I understand that some WUs take minutes to process, some take a few hours, and some can take 18 hours (depending on cpu speed and if the WU was any good to begin with).

Again, can someone please reply back WITH AN EXAMPLE LIKE I DETAILED AND DESCRIBED? That format again is:

"Computer ABC has 10 Results on Jan 1, 2007...and on Jan 2, 2007 it now has 23...the reason is..."

Thanks.

-Eric
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Message 500476 - Posted: 10 Jan 2007, 14:44:25 UTC

Ok, I'll try it:

"Computer ABC has 10 Results on Jan 1, 2007...and on Jan 2, 2007 it now has 23...the reason is..." it has done 13 results on Jan 2, 2007 which were temporarly added to the results list (10 + 13 = 23).

On Jan 3, 2007, 3 of the results from Jan 1, 2007 are finished by "the other ones", also known as your quorum partners, and credits were granted.

As soon as the assimilator program sees that all results returned (and no more action has to be taken, e.g. all results are fine), it picks one of the results off that pile and transfers it to the so called master science database.

On Jan 4, 2004 the "deleter program" goes by, sees that all work is done and all credits were granted, and deletes those 3 finished results from the list (to keep the list neat and tidy). So on Jan 4, you only have 20 remaining results (23 - 3 = 20) that are still on the list (assuming no more work was sent back by your PC on Jan 3rd and 4th)

On Jan 5th, you send back 7 more results. So that makes 20 + 7 = 27 results that are listed... then assimilator again... result deleter again... (and so on and so on...)

So it's a list or results returned by the PC in Question, that a) are in Progress + b) have been returned by your pc (but not by your quorum partners) + c) that were finished, but the assimilator hasn't had time to transfer it + d) the "result deleter programm" hasn't had time to remove this resluts form your list.

Anyway, the Credits will stay with your account

Hope this helps
Andy
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Message 500519 - Posted: 10 Jan 2007, 17:29:23 UTC - in response to Message 500476.  

Thanks Andy...that makes sense.

Now, on a follow-up question...why doesn't SAH keep track (and report) of the total # of Results (that were not "errors") for each computer? Why only track "recent average credit" or "credit"? It's like measuring everything in digits and then reporting everything in percentages.

Personally I liked the Classic stats...it told you how many Work Units you processed. Period. Simple and tidy.

Now I have this "credit" stuff which I can't figure out how it's calculated, then there's this Results column which, although makes sense how it's computed, offers absolutely no value (other than viewing if one of your computers is dead), and to top it off, there's no "Total Credit that Eric has" unless I go into my Profile.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

I know I ranted a bit but could someone answer my first question "why doesn't SAH keep track (and report) of the total # of Results (that were not "errors") for each computer"?

I'd love to see how all 10 of my computers compare to each in regards of total # of Work Units successfully processed.

-Eric
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Message 500584 - Posted: 10 Jan 2007, 21:06:57 UTC - in response to Message 500519.  
Last modified: 10 Jan 2007, 21:07:31 UTC

Personally I liked the Classic stats...it told you how many Work Units you processed. Period. Simple and tidy.

Now I have this "credit" stuff which I can't figure out how it's calculated, then there's this Results column which, although makes sense how it's computed, offers absolutely no value (other than viewing if one of your computers is dead), and to top it off, there's no "Total Credit that Eric has" unless I go into my Profile.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.


BOINC keeps track of your total credit too. The message boards display it; I see it right next to your name here on the boards, right above your RAC it gives your total Credits.

I know I ranted a bit but could someone answer my first question "why doesn't SAH keep track (and report) of the total # of Results (that were not "errors") for each computer"?


As I stated before, to reduce the database size. If they were to leave every result for every computer in the database, it would consume mass amounts of server hard drive space (I understand it could be multi-terabytes worth) that they just don't have/can't afford on their budget.

Even though Results are deleted from the database, the actual credit you received is still with your account, showing you did the work.
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Message 500617 - Posted: 10 Jan 2007, 22:10:57 UTC - in response to Message 500519.  


I know I ranted a bit but could someone answer my first question "why doesn't SAH keep track (and report) of the total # of Results (that were not "errors") for each computer"?

I'd love to see how all 10 of my computers compare to each in regards of total # of Work Units successfully processed.

-Eric

Mostly because there are very different processing times for different results. For example one extreme of angle range will take 4 or so hours, the other extreme will take 80 hours or so, and there are noisy results that are done in seconds.

There is also AstroPulse coming which took about 10 hours or so / result the last time I ran some.

The stats kept are supposed to be cross project compatible - CPDN has results that last for weeks to months, and Pirates has results that last for 5 minutes or so.


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Message 501157 - Posted: 11 Jan 2007, 20:23:16 UTC - in response to Message 500584.  

As I stated before, to reduce the database size. If they were to leave every result for every computer in the database, it would consume mass amounts of server hard drive space (I understand it could be multi-terabytes worth) that they just don't have/can't afford on their budget.

Even though Results are deleted from the database, the actual credit you received is still with your account, showing you did the work.


Of course...I knew that. I think you misunderstood.

Why don't they simply keep a running tally of EACH computer's credits?

So if I have 10 computers, it would be nice to see that computer #1 has completed 500 Work Units, #2 has done 1000 Work Units, etc. That's simply 1 field in a database table.

:)

As I mentioned before, it would be simpler if SAH didn't use the "credit" process for the Your Computers page...personally I liked the original "here's how many WUs you crunched" and do that for each computer. It would also be nice to see the grand total on the Your Computers page.

Let's face it, the Recent Average Credit column is pretty much worthless. Someone on this thread mentioned that it's essentially there to let me know that my machines are still working....well, that's exactly what the Last Contact column tells me. :) I'd rather see them remove the RAC column and replace it with a "Work Units Crunched".

-Eric
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Message 501169 - Posted: 11 Jan 2007, 20:53:18 UTC - in response to Message 501157.  

As I stated before, to reduce the database size. If they were to leave every result for every computer in the database, it would consume mass amounts of server hard drive space (I understand it could be multi-terabytes worth) that they just don't have/can't afford on their budget.

Even though Results are deleted from the database, the actual credit you received is still with your account, showing you did the work.


Of course...I knew that. I think you misunderstood.

Why don't they simply keep a running tally of EACH computer's credits?

So if I have 10 computers, it would be nice to see that computer #1 has completed 500 Work Units, #2 has done 1000 Work Units, etc. That's simply 1 field in a database table.

:)

As I mentioned before, it would be simpler if SAH didn't use the "credit" process for the Your Computers page...personally I liked the original "here's how many WUs you crunched" and do that for each computer. It would also be nice to see the grand total on the Your Computers page.

Let's face it, the Recent Average Credit column is pretty much worthless. Someone on this thread mentioned that it's essentially there to let me know that my machines are still working....well, that's exactly what the Last Contact column tells me. :) I'd rather see them remove the RAC column and replace it with a "Work Units Crunched".

-Eric

Work units crunched is not a good measure of anything. See my previous post as to why.


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Message 501202 - Posted: 11 Jan 2007, 22:16:05 UTC - in response to Message 501157.  

Why don't they simply keep a running tally of EACH computer's credits?
So if I have 10 computers, it would be nice to see that computer #1 has completed 500 Work Units, #2 has done 1000 Work Units, etc. That's simply 1 field in a database table.
:)
As I mentioned before, it would be simpler if SAH didn't use the "credit" process for the Your Computers page...personally I liked the original "here's how many WUs you crunched" and do that for each computer. It would also be nice to see the grand total on the Your Computers page.

I'd rather see them remove the RAC column and replace it with a "Work Units Crunched".
-Eric


Why classic SETI@home is closing down and other facts of life. by Matt Lebofsky.

7. BOINC credit, while not perfect (though we're working on that), is much more fair in that it represents actual work done, and is valid between projects which do all kinds of different work. There is no way to translate Classic credit to BOINC credit, and so this will never happen. Classic credits will be noted in a separate field in a user profile (and will be eventually sync'ed up again after Classic shuts down).

(emphasis mine)


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