SARS and the Internet

Posted by michael on Friday May 2, 2003 @03:16AM from the good-for-something-after-all dept.

AndroidCat writes "In this story scientists who cracked SARS' genetic code credit the Internet as a key: 'The Internet has had a profound impact on how this data has been shared and how scientists have collaborated.' The Internet has also been useful in containing the outbreak by facilitating online discussion by ER doctors. Not mentioned in the stories is that Toronto researchers who were in quarantine were able to stay in touch. Slashdot has also covered Distributed Computing Attacking SARS. Go Internet!"

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SARS and distributed computing by Musashi+Miyamoto · 2003-05-02 03:32 · Score: 5, Insightful

It is a shame that though a large number of the Internet community will altruistically join the fight against SARS, voluteering thier computer's processing power and the electricity used to keep it running, while the likely (pecuniary) beneficiary will be a giant biotechnology firm, which will quickly patent any findings that are uncovered by the distributed computing program.

Since you volunteer your computer, I would bet that this fact does not need to be stated in any EULA.