What does 'Recompute Credit' do?

For each computer there is a 'Recompute Credit' link. What does this do, and why would you do it?

I don't know, but here are some observations:

I think it recomputes the RAC since the RAC is not always accurate for various reasons. For example, if you change any hardware or the OS in your computer, BOINC will add it to your computer list as a separate host (for traceability purposes?) even though it is still the same machine. So for the "new" computer the RAC starts over at 0 but will go up faster than it should because it supposedly has not been working as long. Clicking the recompute link will take it down to a more accurate level. I guess it would go down by itself eventually, so the link is for if you want to manually update it.

Also, as we see here at the beginning of the live site, some people have a huge amount of RAC because it has not had time to "decay" in its mysterious ways. I am currently listed in 18th place in the "Top Computers" stats, which is ridiculous - the numbers on My Account page are more normal but not when I click on Computers - the stats seem to take the inflated ones for whatever reason. So.....should I recompute or just enjoy it for a while?

Cathy

> I think it has more to do with benchmarks. If the benchmarks change, you can
> recompute to account for the newer benchmarks.
>
> Of course, I could be wrong... ;-)

Well actually, that would make sense - in beta no one was really sure what it did, but that sounds right. Can't get to the beta message boards or I would check back there. I've had about the same benchmarks since I started live, so I'll click recompute & see what it does. Right now I supposedly have 312.34 total/152.70 RAC, or 312.34/23.17 depending on which page you look at...

Edit - ok, recompute didn't change anything, so you're right. I still don't understand why the stats are different on different pages. Anyway, still in my meaningless 18th place :)