Posted by
emmett
on from the all-these-worlds-are-yours-except-europa dept.
Dave writes "According to this article at MSNBC, it looks like NASA might have received faint radio signals from the Mars Polar Lander which had been assumed lost." Don't get your hopes up on this one; the signal could have come from anywhere, and they're running tests now.
...and Nasa listens...
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: 5
*CRACKLE* *CRACKLE* *BZZZZZZZZZZT**** *WIRRRRRRRRRRIRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIRRR* *DRIBLE* Nasa Scientist: Hmm, wait a minute PHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHTTTTTTT PHHHHT FFFFFF FFFFFURRRRR Nasa Scientist: Yes! Yes! Someone write down the sounds! FURRRRRSSSSS FURSSSSSST PPPPPEHH PPPPPOOO POOOOOOOO POOOOOOOSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS POOOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSTT *CRACKLE* *CRACKLE* Nasa Scientist: What did they say? WHAT DID THEY SAY?!?!?! 2nd Nasa Scientist: Uh, he said: "First Post", sir. Nasa Scientist: Humm.
*in a van down by the river*
by
JustShootMe
·
· Score: 4
MAD SCIENTIST #1: Hey. I've got an idea MS #2: What's that MS #1: Let's fake the Mrs Lander signals! MS #2: Yeah! That sounds great! heeheehee *Mad scientists tweak a few buttons and turn a few dials* MS #1: HEY! LOOK! We ended up on slashdot! YAY! *Mad scientists turn off equipment*
See, boys and girls, someday, you'll end up, in a VAN, DOWN BY THE RIVER! (apologies to Chris Farley, oh, wait, he isn't anymore) If you can't figure out how to mail me, don't.
-- For linux tips: http://www.linuxtipsblog.com
The correct link to the JPL press release
by
yuriwho
·
· Score: 3
I wonder how much support you could garner for a kind of meta-client. Write a basic framework that could handle any kind of idle-eater, and then let users decide which ones to run. Users could, for example, be provided with a list of potential interests (e.g. Internet Prime Search, Seti, NASA stuff like this, etc.) and just tickmark the ones they wouldn't mind doing.
Let the client grab new processing modules for any task that can be modularized, and you turn the internet into an enormous, general purpose computer.
Of course, the potential for abuse, especially through someone sending their own processing modules, masquerading as the server, would crop up. But if, for example, each module was gpg-signed, this wouldn't be such a problem.
All I know is that this could really open up some incredible power to all sorts of research projects that just can't happen right now for lack of resources. I know *I* would download it.
It's always good to hear that the big Stanford dish is being used again. It's had long periods of downtime. I'd noticed more activity up there recently when I was up that way on horseback. So that's what they're doing.
Most of the world's big radio telescopes are booked up long in advance, but the Stanford dish is in too RF-noisy an area for serious radio astronomy. So it's available for special projects like this.
They're trying again Wednesday. Stay tuned.
MODERATORS PLEASE TELL ROB TO SUE THESE MORONS
by
TheDeal
·
· Score: 3
hey these guys are trying to get free advertising space... hey i have a place.. and you can sign up under me... and i make money off of u... and u can make money off of other people.. uhhh hu... if(UnitekTechnicalEducation == Troll) sue(UnitekTechnicalEducation);
You mean like, say, VMWare? Hell, isn't a virtual machine the ultimate meta client? Running, of course, a streamlined Linux OS. A Java VM is another option. Both take performance hits.
I was brainstorming around this general idea a while ago. The general problems I came up with were:
Security of the host system.
Authentication of the client application.
Criteria for determining "worthy" projects.
Billing, accounting, or payment tie-ins.
First off, distributed computing is very successful in some closed environments -- POW (pile of workstation) clusters in campus environments are common. A friend at a New Zealand biotech firm distributes Linux boot floppies. At the end of the "work" day, their Windows boxes are rebooted with this floppy installed, a Linux machine springs into place, and a gene sequencing client starts munching away -- the real work day. Similar schemes are pretty common.
In a broader environment with less control the problem becomes tougher. The host machine needs to have some guarantee of security. The client should also be reasonably secure and non-spoofable. There needs to be authentication.
In order to select for worthy (or billable) projects, some sort of voting scheme needs to b e implemented. If this is based on dollars or bill-backs, the small size of the individual contributions, with per-month CPU rental rates rating < $20 for new equipment (essentially the lease cost for hardware) -- means that this is not a way to get rich.
Factor in latency, bandwidth, lossage, and storage factors. It's a complicated problem.
This isn't to say it's not addressable. Distributed Net appears to be actively researching several of these areas. It's quite possible that all that idle CPU time will one day be put to use. But not real soon now.
According to the article, it took weeks to make out the signal because it was so weak. It may turn out to be nothing, but if extra number crunching would help, I'll bet SETI@home participants could spare a few hundred thousand CPU-years to help pick up the signal.
"could have come from anywhere"
by
konstant
·
· Score: 5
emmet sez..
Don't get your hopes up on this one; the signal could have come from anywhere, and they're running tests now.
Yes. It could be from some typically mundane source like outer space aliens. In my opinion, there should be regulations to restrict interstellar subspace communications to a few designatede bandwidth. With all the noise in this solar system I have difficulty contacting Command Zorb (weebles upon him!) in the Delta Quadrant. How am I supposed to receive my orders clearly when my brainwave transmissions are suffering from interference? For example, yesterday I was speaking with Commander Zorb (long may he froop!) in my head when an outer space alien interrupted with a comment that I should kill my family.
-konstant Yes! We are all individuals! I'm not!
-- -konstant Yes! We are all individuals! I'm not!
Slashdot Mirror
*CRACKLE* *CRACKLE* *BZZZZZZZZZZT****
*WIRRRRRRRRRRIRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIRRR*
*DRIBLE*
Nasa Scientist: Hmm, wait a minute
PHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHTTTTTTT
PHHHHT
FFFFFF
FFFFFURRRRR
Nasa Scientist: Yes! Yes! Someone write down the sounds!
FURRRRRSSSSS
FURSSSSSST
PPPPPEHH
PPPPPOOO
POOOOOOOO
POOOOOOOSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
POOOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSTT
*CRACKLE* *CRACKLE*
Nasa Scientist: What did they say? WHAT DID THEY SAY?!?!?!
2nd Nasa Scientist: Uh, he said: "First Post", sir.
Nasa Scientist: Humm.
MAD SCIENTIST #1: Hey. I've got an idea
MS #2: What's that
MS #1: Let's fake the Mrs Lander signals!
MS #2: Yeah! That sounds great! heeheehee
*Mad scientists tweak a few buttons and turn a few dials*
MS #1: HEY! LOOK! We ended up on slashdot! YAY!
*Mad scientists turn off equipment*
See, boys and girls, someday, you'll end up, in a VAN, DOWN BY THE RIVER! (apologies to Chris Farley, oh, wait, he isn't anymore)
If you can't figure out how to mail me, don't.
For linux tips: http://www.linuxtipsblog.com
is here
no sig.
OTOH...
I wonder how much support you could garner for a kind of meta-client. Write a basic framework that could handle any kind of idle-eater, and then let users decide which ones to run. Users could, for example, be provided with a list of potential interests (e.g. Internet Prime Search, Seti, NASA stuff like this, etc.) and just tickmark the ones they wouldn't mind doing.
Let the client grab new processing modules for any task that can be modularized, and you turn the internet into an enormous, general purpose computer.
Of course, the potential for abuse, especially through someone sending their own processing modules, masquerading as the server, would crop up. But if, for example, each module was gpg-signed, this wouldn't be such a problem.
All I know is that this could really open up some incredible power to all sorts of research projects that just can't happen right now for lack of resources. I know *I* would download it.
Johnath
Most of the world's big radio telescopes are booked up long in advance, but the Stanford dish is in too RF-noisy an area for serious radio astronomy. So it's available for special projects like this.
They're trying again Wednesday. Stay tuned.
hey these guys are trying to get free advertising space... hey i have a place.. and you can sign up under me... and i make money off of u... and u can make money off of other people.. uhhh hu... if(UnitekTechnicalEducation == Troll) sue(UnitekTechnicalEducation);
I was brainstorming around this general idea a while ago. The general problems I came up with were:
First off, distributed computing is very successful in some closed environments -- POW (pile of workstation) clusters in campus environments are common. A friend at a New Zealand biotech firm distributes Linux boot floppies. At the end of the "work" day, their Windows boxes are rebooted with this floppy installed, a Linux machine springs into place, and a gene sequencing client starts munching away -- the real work day. Similar schemes are pretty common.
In a broader environment with less control the problem becomes tougher. The host machine needs to have some guarantee of security. The client should also be reasonably secure and non-spoofable. There needs to be authentication.
In order to select for worthy (or billable) projects, some sort of voting scheme needs to b e implemented. If this is based on dollars or bill-backs, the small size of the individual contributions, with per-month CPU rental rates rating < $20 for new equipment (essentially the lease cost for hardware) -- means that this is not a way to get rich.
Factor in latency, bandwidth, lossage, and storage factors. It's a complicated problem.
This isn't to say it's not addressable. Distributed Net appears to be actively researching several of these areas. It's quite possible that all that idle CPU time will one day be put to use. But not real soon now.
What part of "Gestalt" don't you understand?
What part of "gestalt" don't you understand?
Bad news is: The signals aren't coming from the Mars Polar Lander.
Worse news: All those SETI@Home processor cycles were for naught. The signal is from aliens.
Even worse news: They're giving us 6 months to vacate before they blow up the planet.
Good news: They've offered to return to the Mars Polar Lander!
"What do you mean, invalid parameters? 9000Gigs of RAM and it can't answer a simple question!" -- Earthworm Jim
According to the article, it took weeks to make out the signal because it was so weak. It may turn out to be nothing, but if extra number crunching would help, I'll bet SETI@home participants could spare a few hundred thousand CPU-years to help pick up the signal.
emmet sez..
Don't get your hopes up on this one; the signal could have come from anywhere, and they're running tests now.
Yes. It could be from some typically mundane source like outer space aliens. In my opinion, there should be regulations to restrict interstellar subspace communications to a few designatede bandwidth. With all the noise in this solar system I have difficulty contacting Command Zorb (weebles upon him!) in the Delta Quadrant. How am I supposed to receive my orders clearly when my brainwave transmissions are suffering from interference? For example, yesterday I was speaking with Commander Zorb (long may he froop!) in my head when an outer space alien interrupted with a comment that I should kill my family.
-konstant
Yes! We are all individuals! I'm not!
-konstant
Yes! We are all individuals! I'm not!