boinc/doc/prefs.php

<?
require_once("docutil.php");
page_head("Preferences");
echo "
<p>
You can specify <b>preferences</b> determining and limiting
how BOINC uses your computers.
Preferences are divided into two groups: 
<h3>General preferences</h3>
<b>General preferences</b> apply to all BOINC projects in which you participate.
They include:
";

list_start();

list_item("When to work",
"You can specify whether work (computation and network transfer) should be done
1) while the host is being used (i.e. during keyboard and mouse input);
2) while the computer is being powered
by batteries (for laptop users).
");
list_item("Confirm before connect",
"Whether to wait for confirmation before making network connections.");
list_item("Work buffering min and max",
"
Your computer maintains an estimate of the amount of work remaining
(i.e. the time until one of its processors will be idle).
You can choose the <b>minimum work</b> and the
<b>maximum work</b> to keep.
Normally the work remaining is between these two limits.
When the work remaining reaches minimum level,
your computer contacts one or more scheduling servers,
and attempts to get enough work to exceed the maximum level.
<p>
This scheme allows computers that are sporadically connected
(because they're portable or have modem-based connections)
to avoid becoming idle due to lack of work. 
If the host is frequently disconnected from the Internet, the min
should be at least as long as the typical period of disconnection.
The larger the difference between min and max, the less often
the BOINC client will connect to the Internet.
");

list_item("Disk usage limits",
"You can limit the disk space used by BOINC in any of three ways:
1) Maximum disk space used by BOINC;
2) Maximum percentage of total space that can be used by BOINC.
3) Minimum disk space to keep free.
");

list_end();

echo "
You can view and edit your general preferences through a web interface,
at the site of any project in which you participate.
Changes are automatically propagated to all your hosts;
this is done the next time the host contacts the project's server,
so there may be some delay.

<h3>Project preferences</h3>
There is a separate set of <b>project preferences</b>
for each project in which you participate.
They include:
<ul>
<li> Resource share: if projects contend for resources,
the amount allocated to a project is proportional to this number.
<li> Whether to show email address on web site
<li> Whether project should send emails to user
<li> Project-specific preferences (defined by the project;
e.g., to specify graphics color schemes).
</ul>
<p>
You can view and edit project preferences through
a web interface at the project's web site.

<h3>Location-specific preferences</h3>
If you have computers both at home and at work
you may want to use different preferences for them.
In addition to your 'primary preferences'
(which are used by default)
BOINC allows you to create separate preferences for
home, work, and school.
<p>
Your account with a project has a 'default location'
(home, work, or school).
New computers registered to your account will be
given the default location.
You can change the location of an existing computer
through the project's web site.
";
page_tail();
?>