If you do that, go with Mint instead of Ubuntu.
http://www.linuxmint.com/

In a not so distant future I'm going to build a new machine. Which linux should I pick?

Your choice.

Linux Mint is certainly good and has a good following for its clean looks.

My own preferences are for Mageia4, Gentoo (for those experts wishing total freedom), or Sabayon (for those who wish to try Gentoo but without a bewilderment of '1001 choices'), or Kubuntu for any Microsoft refugees.

There are others that others will recommend. Try them and see what you like. On a clean machine, you can usually install in about 15 mins or less and just give things a try. Such is true computer freedom.

See Distrowatch for their latest "top 10 list".


Good luck!
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

OT
http://www.arkayn.us/forum/index.php?action=tpmod;dl=item24[/quote]

Is your page above a dark grey background with lighter grey text,
black text, and dim pastel colored text?

If it is it's very hard for someone with poor vision, like myself, to read.
If it isn't I'll double check my browser settings, but I don't have this problem
with 99.99% of the other web pages I come across.

OT
http://www.arkayn.us/forum/index.php?action=tpmod;dl=item24

Is your page above a dark grey background with lighter grey text,
black text, and dim pastel colored text?

If it is it's very hard for someone with poor vision, like myself, to read.
If it isn't I'll double check my browser settings, but I don't have this problem
with 99.99% of the other web pages I come across.

Yep, it's not the best colour combination out there.

Cheers.

The web page is exactly as you describe.

It is very difficult for me also. Fortunately I can increase magnification and it helps. But it's sure to bring on a headache.

---

Boinc....Boinc....Boinc....Boinc....

OT
http://www.arkayn.us/forum/index.php?action=tpmod;dl=item24

Is your page above a dark grey background with lighter grey text,
black text, and dim pastel colored text?

If it is it's very hard for someone with poor vision, like myself, to read.
If it isn't I'll double check my browser settings, but I don't have this problem
with 99.99% of the other web pages I come across.

Yep, it's not the best colour combination out there.

Mmmm... Yep. However, on my flat-screen monitor, the contrast is about right for an easy glare-free read. Clear and quite restful.

I could well imagine that scheme is too low contrast for old-style CRT tubes. Also, the text is likely too small to be comfortable for anything 1024x768 or lower res displays.


New monitors needed? Readjust to avoid glare on your screens? Clean glasses needed? ;-)


Happy crunchin',
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

If you do that, go with Mint instead of Ubuntu.
http://www.linuxmint.com/

In a not so distant future I'm going to build a new machine. Which linux should I pick?

Your choice.

Linux Mint is certainly good and has a good following for its clean looks.

My own preferences are for Mageia4, Gentoo (for those experts wishing total freedom), or Sabayon (for those who wish to try Gentoo but without a bewilderment of '1001 choices'), or Kubuntu for any Microsoft refugees.

There are others that others will recommend. Try them and see what you like. On a clean machine, you can usually install in about 15 mins or less and just give things a try. Such is true computer freedom.

See Distrowatch for their latest "top 10 list".


Good luck!
Martin

I am partial to Slackware myself. I have used it for over 15 years. It is very secure and besides doing SETI well it is a time server, listserv(er), mail server, and file server with Samba. As Martin says however it makes sense to try a few distros to see what works best for you. You have a lot more choices of how to do things than you do with Windows.

Congratulations Guy, I'm happy that You got your machine doing GPU work under linux.

Thanks for everybody for the linux version suggestions.

---

To overcome Heisenbergs:
"You can't always get what you want / but if you try sometimes you just might find / you get what you need." -- Rolling Stones

I just may break down and install the latest version of Ubuntu if I throw in the towel on Fedora. Been with them since Redhat 6, so I probably have an unhealthy attachment to it. I may need to see a therapist to fix that.

If you do that, go with Mint instead of Ubuntu.
http://www.linuxmint.com/

About a week ago I downloaded Mint (version based on Ubuntu 12.04 LTS - Maya I believe) for the purpose of installing it on a VM machine. It installed ok but I could not update the software. Apparently the distribution has a screwed up source.list. After googling and trying to fix this problem within the source.list I gave up and reverted back to Ubuntu. Since Mint seems to be based upon Ubuntu why not use Ubuntu. I have been extremely pleased with Ubuntu's Linux. Certainly can't say the same for Mint however.

Google "mint source.list" to get some idea.

Ok, I reloaded with the bare minimum and I'm getting really close now. I'm thinking there's something wrong with my app_info.xml file but I can't spot it because my eyes are crossing now because I've been staring at this monitor all day.

In my /var/lib/boinc/projects/setiathome.berkeley.edu directory, I have:

-rw-rw-r--. 1 guy guy 2488 Feb 1 14:51 app_info.xml
-rw-rw-r--. 1 guy guy 2438 Feb 1 14:46 app_info.xml~
-rw-r--r--. 1 boinc boinc 52779 Feb 1 11:21 arecibo_181.png
-rwxr-xr-x. 1 root root 313872 Feb 1 10:42 libcudart.so.3
-rwxr-xr-x. 1 root root 28996288 Feb 1 10:42 libcufft.so.3
-rw-r--r--. 1 boinc boinc 2536 Feb 1 11:21 sah_40.png
-rw-r--r--. 1 boinc boinc 25488 Feb 1 11:21 sah_banner_290.png
-rw-r--r--. 1 boinc boinc 35399 Feb 1 11:21 sah_ss_290.png
-rwxr-xr-x. 1 root root 1564204 Feb 1 14:34 setiathome_7.01_x86_64-pc-linux-gnu
-rwxr-xr-x. 1 root root 6373944 Feb 1 10:43 setiathome_x41g_x86_64-pc-linux-gnu_cuda32
-rw-r--r--. 1 boinc boinc 71 Feb 1 14:52 slideshow_setiathome_enhanced_00
-rw-r--r--. 1 boinc boinc 72 Feb 1 14:52 slideshow_setiathome_enhanced_01
-rw-r--r--. 1 boinc boinc 75 Feb 1 14:52 slideshow_setiathome_enhanced_02
-rw-r--r--. 1 boinc boinc 67 Feb 1 14:52 stat_icon

See anything wrong with my permissions (edit: or owners)? (I wish I could figure out a way to maintain the columns for you readers)
Yes, I'm running it as root. No big deal. Not concerned about security at this point.

I read you comment on security but for future info I believe that all ownership should be "boinc:boinc".

Ok, I reloaded with the bare minimum and I'm getting really close now. I'm thinking there's something wrong with my app_info.xml file but I can't spot it because my eyes are crossing now because I've been staring at this monitor all day.

In my /var/lib/boinc/projects/setiathome.berkeley.edu directory, I have:

-rw-rw-r--. 1 guy   guy       2488 Feb  1 14:51 app_info.xml
-rw-rw-r--. 1 guy   guy       2438 Feb  1 14:46 app_info.xml~
-rw-r--r--. 1 boinc boinc    52779 Feb  1 11:21 arecibo_181.png
-rwxr-xr-x. 1 root  root    313872 Feb  1 10:42 libcudart.so.3
-rwxr-xr-x. 1 root  root  28996288 Feb  1 10:42 libcufft.so.3
-rw-r--r--. 1 boinc boinc     2536 Feb  1 11:21 sah_40.png
-rw-r--r--. 1 boinc boinc    25488 Feb  1 11:21 sah_banner_290.png
-rw-r--r--. 1 boinc boinc    35399 Feb  1 11:21 sah_ss_290.png
-rwxr-xr-x. 1 root  root   1564204 Feb  1 14:34 setiathome_7.01_x86_64-pc-linux-gnu
-rwxr-xr-x. 1 root  root   6373944 Feb  1 10:43 setiathome_x41g_x86_64-pc-linux-gnu_cuda32
-rw-r--r--. 1 boinc boinc       71 Feb  1 14:52 slideshow_setiathome_enhanced_00
-rw-r--r--. 1 boinc boinc       72 Feb  1 14:52 slideshow_setiathome_enhanced_01
-rw-r--r--. 1 boinc boinc       75 Feb  1 14:52 slideshow_setiathome_enhanced_02
-rw-r--r--. 1 boinc boinc       67 Feb  1 14:52 stat_icon

See anything wrong with my permissions (edit: or owners)? (I wish I could figure out a way to maintain the columns for you readers)
Yes, I'm running it as root. No big deal. Not concerned about security at this point.

I read you comment on security but for future info I believe that all ownership should be "boinc:boinc".

Nope, that lot looks fine.

Note that the "boinc:boinc" is only for what boinc apps can change. The code is locked down by the "root:root" with permission set for boinc to be able to run the code only (and not change it inadvertently or suffer malware for example).

And then "guy" has access in there to change the config files.

All as it should be...

So... Need to look at some other aspect?


If the problem is how to use the nVidia GPU, then you may need to add boinc to the "video" group to allow access to directly access the GPU. By default, that may be disabled depending on paranoia to avoid anything interfering with your display.


Happy cool crunchin',
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

All is fine on this host now Martin. Bottom line is the first time I loaded this host up, my strategy was to load everything and anything that might be needed. The second time, I reversed my strategy. The second time, I basically just loaded the OS, updated it, loaded the NVIDIA driver (from NVIDIA.COM, not the repository), and then loaded Boinc. Here's where it started to work: I let the stock apps take control. (couple other minor things in between, but basically that's all I did this time and it works now.)

The only thing that's missing is being able to run MB tasks on NVIDIA. When I move a GTX 760 into this host, it's going to be sitting idle between AP feeding frenzies. I can't even find if anybody is working on that.

For now, you would have to go with the anonymous platform to run MB on the card.

---

If I'd PM Guy my apps, sources and app_info in one zip file would that satisfy the GPL or whatever licence there is. I have no place where to publish my modified source code for three years if I distribute the apps.

I run standard/lunatics apps on CPU, but I have modified and compiled the sah_v7_opt AP OpenCL and Xbranch CUDA MB source. I do not have a nonmodified compilation. Some modifications were needed to get it compile and some are for testing purposes.

---

To overcome Heisenbergs:
"You can't always get what you want / but if you try sometimes you just might find / you get what you need." -- Rolling Stones

And yes, Arkayn has the needed apps & info to run MB_cuda and AP on linux on his site for public download If I remember correctly.

---

To overcome Heisenbergs:
"You can't always get what you want / but if you try sometimes you just might find / you get what you need." -- Rolling Stones

If I'd PM Guy my apps, sources and app_info in one zip file would that satisfy the GPL or whatever licence there is. I have no place where to publish my modified source code for three years if I distribute the apps.

I run standard/lunatics apps on CPU, but I have modified and compiled the sah_v7_opt AP OpenCL and Xbranch CUDA MB source. I do not have a nonmodified compilation. Some modifications were needed to get it compile and some are for testing purposes.

No problems from my end. For the sakes of completion I'd suggest to make sure and mention of yourself in the documentation somewhere around where I am, and preferably include a link to the original sources, revision, & your patch, either as a diff or substitute file(s). While I'm buried in Boinc issues at the moment, I'm fully preparing for some major infrastructure overhaul, and I don't want genuine improvements to get lost in the mayhem.

---

"Living by the wisdom of computer science doesn't sound so bad after all. And unlike most advice, it's backed up by proofs." -- Algorithms to live by: The computer science of human decisions.

If I'd PM Guy my apps, sources and app_info in one zip file would that satisfy the GPL or whatever licence there is. I have no place where to publish my modified source code for three years if I distribute the apps.

I run standard/lunatics apps on CPU, but I have modified and compiled the sah_v7_opt AP OpenCL and Xbranch CUDA MB source. I do not have a nonmodified compilation. Some modifications were needed to get it compile and some are for testing purposes.

No problems from my end. For the sakes of completion I'd suggest to make sure and mention of yourself in the documentation somewhere around where I am, and preferably include a link to the original sources, revision, & your patch, either as a diff or substitute file(s). While I'm buried in Boinc issues at the moment, I'm fully preparing for some major infrastructure overhaul, and I don't want genuine improvements to get lost in the mayhem.

Big Thanks for You Jason for the effort and good job You are doing. We're all waiting for the new improvements.

I'll wait and see if Guy wants to wait for the new, fast and beautiful or if he is willing to go for another try with the old one. If the latter I can PM when requested.

I'll keep my personal baby steps in Cuda and OpenCL programming in small circles and even then try to document what and maybe why I have made some changes if any.

I can get a diff on my HDD if I can download the version I started with. I'm not familiar with svn, but I'm sure there is a way to get a certain revision to my PC again. Or even better if svn can tell me the difference from my hdd content against to a certain version.
--
petri

---

To overcome Heisenbergs:
"You can't always get what you want / but if you try sometimes you just might find / you get what you need." -- Rolling Stones