With each successive version the BOINC client seems less and less intuitive, particularly regarding the current state of processing (or not).

The "Messages" window should make it more clear which events are errors, which are warnings, and which are just status messages. As it is I have no idea which of the events I should be concerned with and which I can ignore. For example, what does this mean: "10/16/2007 11:54:17 PM|climateprediction.net|(not requesting new work or reporting completed tasks)"? Is it an error? A warning? A note that I can ignore? Yes, I realize messages in red are error messages, but clearly not every error is being reported clearly. What's more, the Messages window is a poor place to display errors since status messages can cause legitimate errors to scroll away.

The "Statistics" panel for climateprediction.net shows a steadily increasing graph of work performed. But logging on to climateprediction.net and checking my stats, I see that, oh, EVERY SINGLE WORK UNIT resulted in a "Client error" outcome. With all its fancy statistics, nowhere did BOINC give me the slightest hint that something was wrong with my climateprediction.net work units.

The "Update" button on the "Projects" pane is nice, but I have no idea of the outcome after I press it. Aside from a quick message ("Scheduler request pending, Requested by user, Scheduler request in progress") that flashes next to the project, I see nothing that tells me the outcome of having pressed the button.

Right now I have two projects (SETI@home and climateprediction.net) but only one running task (SETI). I've repeatedly attempted to get a new climateprediction.net task by updating my climateprediction.net project but as I said above, I have no idea what's going on.

I don't see any difference between the "Accessible View" and the "Grid View." Also, there seems to be no way to revert to the "Advanced View" from the "Accessible View" or the "Grid View."

When setting options/preferences in general, it is not always clear whether the settings affect this computer, all computers, or what. For example, under Advanced -> Preferences -> Processor Usage, there is an "Only after computer has been idle for [___] minutes" option. However, it's not clear how this relates to the Windows screensaver settings, which seems to let me specify the same thing. This difference is not explained clearly.

--K

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With each successive version the BOINC client seems less and less intuitive, particularly regarding the current state of processing (or not).

The "Messages" window should make it more clear which events are errors, which are warnings, and which are just status messages. As it is I have no idea which of the events I should be concerned with and which I can ignore. For example, what does this mean: "10/16/2007 11:54:17 PM|climateprediction.net|(not requesting new work or reporting completed tasks)"? Is it an error? A warning? A note that I can ignore? Yes, I realize messages in red are error messages, but clearly not every error is being reported clearly. What's more, the Messages window is a poor place to display errors since status messages can cause legitimate errors to scroll away.

The "Statistics" panel for climateprediction.net shows a steadily increasing graph of work performed. But logging on to climateprediction.net and checking my stats, I see that, oh, EVERY SINGLE WORK UNIT resulted in a "Client error" outcome. With all its fancy statistics, nowhere did BOINC give me the slightest hint that something was wrong with my climateprediction.net work units.

The "Update" button on the "Projects" pane is nice, but I have no idea of the outcome after I press it. Aside from a quick message ("Scheduler request pending, Requested by user, Scheduler request in progress") that flashes next to the project, I see nothing that tells me the outcome of having pressed the button.

Right now I have two projects (SETI@home and climateprediction.net) but only one running task (SETI). I've repeatedly attempted to get a new climateprediction.net task by updating my climateprediction.net project but as I said above, I have no idea what's going on.

I don't see any difference between the "Accessible View" and the "Grid View." Also, there seems to be no way to revert to the "Advanced View" from the "Accessible View" or the "Grid View."

When setting options/preferences in general, it is not always clear whether the settings affect this computer, all computers, or what. For example, under Advanced -> Preferences -> Processor Usage, there is an "Only after computer has been idle for [___] minutes" option. However, it's not clear how this relates to the Windows screensaver settings, which seems to let me specify the same thing. This difference is not explained clearly.

--K

I think your rating of the current BOINC Master is somewhat harsh.

(not requesting new work or reporting completed tasks) is a statement of fact, but you may certainly prefer the amended detail shown in BOINC Manager version 5.10.24 where numbers are quoted. It is zero when there are any tasks suspended or the cache is satisfied. climateprediction.net takes a very long time before requiring another task, so will nearly always shows the message you quoted.

You will find that climateprediction.net only allows one task per cpu, as usually a 2nd held "in cache" would almost certainly exceed it's deadline and not be crunched due to the very long duration of each task.

Your update progress display seems adequate to me, inasmuch that you get the messages as to progress until the event is completed, when it reverts to no message (as nothing is then in progress).

Grid View sorts by each column of by clicking on the heading in the Tasks panel and others. If Climate Prediction has only one or two tasks running, this will not be apparent. The Simple View is even better with quicker access and the screen freed up for visibility.

I think that most of your frustration may be due to the extremely long crunching time required by each climateprediction.net task and the fact that displays therein have superfluous formats when dealing with a single task. My first task took 9 months on my MacBookpro. Pretty well all of your points are not a problem when viewing with the SETI Client.

Keith