![[H]ard|Forum](/styles/hardforum/xenforo/logo_dark.png){kind=logo}
SmokeRngs Interview HARD DC'er of the Month April 2008
Please join me in congratulating SmokeRngs for being selected as the [H]ard DCer of the month for April 2008. This is quite an honor when you consider that the [H]orde currently has 1,274 active folders, a number which seems to rise every month! SmokeRngs is currently ranked #56 on our team, and he has 2.5 million points. In March and April of 2008 he produced about 400,000 points per month. He is ranked #691 in the world.
And he is progressing up the ranks of our team. Within two months he will jump up to spot #46 on our team.
Basic Information:
How many F@H points do you have?
A bit over 2.5 million at this typing.
How about United Devices and WCG points?
No UD points as I put all my resources towards F@H at the time. WCG is a bit of a different story as I have moved all my single core boxen onto WCG. My current WCG point total is a meager 274,000 as of this typing. Once I get my ass into gear I should be putting out a bit more than my current PPD for that project. I have two or three more single core machines I need to get up and running from the parts I have.
How many boxen do you have? Break this number down between borgs and your personal machines.
Active systems right now should total around ten. Six of them should be crunching F@H while the other four are running WCG. I have two personal boxen running WCG (although that should go up to at least four once I get my ass into gear), four personal boxen running F@H, two WCG borgs and two F@H borgs. My personal F@H boxen consist of an Athlon X2 4000+ and three Intel Q6600s. The F@H borgs are a Pentium D 3Ghz and an [email protected] I believe. The personal WCG machines (current and near future) range from a PIII 800 to an Athlon XP-m 2400+. The WCG borgs are an Athlon XP 1700+ and a C2D laptop.
When did you start folding? What kind of project or projects did you participate in?
I don't remember exactly when I started folding. All I know is that it was before I joined the forums. I'm old and my memory isn't exactly the best. The amount of time I've been sober in the last several years has also seriously effected my memory.
When did you start folding for the [H]orde?
I started folding for the [H]orde when I began the G@H project way back when. Again, I don't remember the date.
What is your average F@H points per month?
I've been getting around 400k PPM since I got my current machines up and running. The average PPM on hardfolding.com doesn't reflect this as of yet since it was just recently that I managed to reach this figure. I'm hoping to keep it at 400k PPM minimum although that may be difficult over the summmer.
Did you contribute to United Devices?
How about WCG?
Again, no UD work for me but I currently run WCG.
Any other DC projects?
I've participated in at least one project or another since SETI started back in the 90's. Yes, I started with SETI with no team affiliation, moved to RC5-64 with the Anandtech team, did a short stint with SETI again, moved to G@H with the [H]orde, started up F@H version 2 when G@H ended and currently run F@H version 2 as well as WCG. As you can see, I've loved the idea of distributed computing for a long time and was very happy to find projects and a team worthy of my time and resources.
What operating system do you primarily use?
I use Linux almost exclusively. I do have an XP install on my main system for some games I can't run natively in Linux or under Wine. I keep four regular console clients installed for the little time I'm in XP. I also keep an XP VM running on one of my Folding only machines for stats keeping and publishing for the hardfolding IRC channel.
If you use Linux, how familiar with Linux are you?
Even though I used Linux almost exclusively (openSUSE as my preferred distro), I wouldn't consider myself much more than a step above a n00b. I've been running Linux at least part time for more than a year but I still have a lot to learn. I used MS OSes for many many years which allowed me to gain a familiarity with it that I do not have with Linux as of yet. I'm just glad I was around for the DOS days so I'm not afraid of a command line and actually prefer using it on many occasions. While I may still be a Linux n00b, I can probably answer a number of questions folders have in regards to Linux. While the GUI of many of the Linux distros are very different, many of the CLI commands are the same between them. If I don't know the answer, google will normally provide me with the answer to the question quickly.
How many boxen do you have running the following clients?
regular client 2
SMP client 4
GPU client 0
Have you tried Affinity Changer (AC)? If so, what were your results?
As I don't use Windows for folding (except at work where I have no choice and can't run the SMP client) I have no experience with Affinity Changer.
Have you tried using Virtual Machines (VMs)? If so, what were your results?
I have dual VMs setup on two of my quads. These are Linux host OS with Linux VMs. I know I can run dual Linux SMP clients natively, but the PPD is terrible in comparison and with the VMs I don't have to worry about missing deadlines with the quad core only work units. I used to run dual VMs on my main machine which is a quad but due to something which changed, I had to stop since the VMs did not seem to release CPU cycles as needed when I was gaming. I am going to install one VM back on the machine for a little better PPD compared to the dual Linux SMP clients I'm currently running on the machine.
Personal Information:
Name: Sorry, not going to give out my full name. Some of you already know it but I prefer to keep the bombs in the mail down to a minimum. First name is Shawn.
Location: Misery. Also known as Jefferson City, Missouri.
Occupation: The most evil person you will ever run into. I'm a tax collector.
Hobbies:
Computers, Distributed Computing (of course), car audio a bit, some PC gaming and old school Atari gaming, reading, writing short stories (when I'm in the mood), drinking alcohol and of course manw[H]oring.
What is your [H]ard OCP username? What is the meaning or significance of your [H]ardOCP username, if any?
SmokeRngs for the forum and folding. The significance has to do with music. I've had a habit over the years of using songs as user names. SmokeRngs happens to be the one I have used for a number of years even before joining the forums. I know some people have wondered why I don't use SmokeRings instead. That boils down to two things. First of all I was starting an email account with my ISP at the time and SmokeRings was already taken and the IRC network I frequented at the time had a character limit so I also used SmokeRngs for that.
Want to link to a picture of yourself?
It's already been posted on the forum in a couple different places but here ya go anyway.
On to the interview:
Congratulations on being chosen the [H]ard DC'er for the month for April 2008. How does it feel to be chosen by your peers for such a prestigious award?
It's a great honor. I still think there are many more that deserve it more than me and because of that it means that much more. I'm not even sure what words I can use to describe it. It's definitely a major accomplishment and something I would love to be able to put on a resume.
Why do you think you were chosen?
This I'm not sure of to tell you the truth. The only thing that comes to mind was that it was a conspiracy to make sure I didn't end up in last place again.
Why do you participate in Distributed Computing?
DC has been something I was very interested in since I first heard about the SETI project. The idea of using individual computers from around the world to do research and make supercomputers look like small change is fascinating to me. I don't personally have the means to make a meaningful contribution on my own, but being able to join a large group of people to help in making a contribution with what I do have makes my computing hobby more than worth any money I put into it.
Why do you DC for the [H]ard [H]orde at [H]ard OCP?
It started with [H]ardOCP as being my favorite site to visit on the web as well as the amazing amount of information on the forums and the community feeling of the DC forum. It's a combination which cannot be beat.
If DCing could find a cure for just one disease tomorrow, which one would it be and why?
I can't choose just one. I want them all stomped out ASAP. The disease which has personally affected me the most would be cancer. I've known several people who have died from it ranging from a schoolmate many years ago to my sister's ex-mother in law. None of these diseases would I ever wish upon even my worst enemy. On the upside, I have an aunt who has battled cancer and so far is winning. She has had two bouts with it and is currently in remission again. I hope that my small contribution will help others as well as her. I know that if she had had her bouts with cancer ten years previous she probably would not have survived. My hope and goal is that my computers will help others who previously would not have had a chance to beat these horrible diseases.
What would you like the [H]orde to know about you that might surprise them?
I'm not sure anything would be much of a surprise. The only thing I can think of is that the title of manw[H]ore (which I proudly bear) is based more on reality than a joke.
Where do you see your DCing activities in the next year or two?
My hope would be that I wouldn't need to DC anymore. Unfortunately, that is not a likely scenario and barring any catastrophe I see my production and support for medical DC projects only growing. Whether I am able to afford it or not, my goal is to double my production every two years if not every year.
Have you been successful borging? If so, what kind of borging worked for you? (For example, friends, family, and/or work?)
Borging is somewhat hit and miss. I have my work machine borged as well as a couple family systems and a friend's secondary system. I've had more borgs than I currently have right now and hope to have more in the future. However, my main goal is production from machines I own.
Where do you see the [H]ard DC sub-forum in the near future? Long term?
I see it as mostly the same as it is now. People contributing with what they have. It may be knowledge, humor, production or a combination of all of them. The DC sub-forum is a community and I don't see that changing any time soon.
Any ideas on improving the [H]ard DC sub-forum, or suggestions or improvements for our Team?
I can't think of anything that we aren't currently doing already. I expect others will come up with ideas and improvements as time goes on. That's been the nature of things since the beginning of DC.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I think you have covered everything I can think of.
Where did the term Manw[H]ore originate? What does it mean to be a Manw[H]ore?
The history began as a discussion between I believe myself, BillR, relic and King_N on the hardfolding IRC channel. It really got started from a thread that BillR started but was lost in a forum database crash. I did hit up Google for the cached pages of the thread and managed to save them, though. The actual manw[H]oring part began from an experience I had when I went out to my local watering hole one night. I was offered $500 to take a certain woman home that night. The funny thing is I had taken her home the night before. Basically, that's how it started.
Alan2308 has a question for you:
Yea, why were you so hell bent on losing?
I have a self deprecating sense of humor and I'm just flat out insane. For some weird reason I actually take a morbid pride in losing things like this. In the case of [H]ardDCer of the month, it's actually a badge of honor to me. There is absolutely no shame in losing to anyone nominated. From what I remember, I have come in last in the voting every time I have been nominated. Because of my nature, that is a badge of pride for me. I do not fold for the recognition and if anyone finds any worth in my advice or suggestions from my posts, it is enough for me to know that I'm doing something worthwhile.
Did I forget to ask you anything?
I think just about everything was covered. If anyone has a question they might like to have answered, all they need to do is ask it in this thread and I might answer it. I make no promises that I would answer any question, though.
On behalf of the [H]ard [H]orde, I thank you as well for your contributions to this team and I thank you for your time to talk about it. Keep on folding! Fold on For The Win! For the [H]orde!
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
