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Updated documentation. 

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Eric Heien 2002-07-23 22:24:59 +00:00
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@ -6,40 +6,92 @@ is a software platform for public-participation
distributed computing projects like distributed.net and SETI@home. distributed computing projects like distributed.net and SETI@home.
BOINC supports applications that can be divided into large parallel parts BOINC supports applications that can be divided into large parallel parts
with few data dependencies; with few data dependencies;
it is not intended for fine-grained parallel applications. it is not presently intended for fine-grained parallel applications.
<p> <p>
The features of BOINC include: The features of BOINC include:
<ul> <ul>
<li> BOINC allows multiple independent projects <li><b>Multiple Independent Projects</b><br>
to share participants. BOINC allows multiple independent projects to share participants.
Participants download a single <b>core client</b> program, Participants download a single <b>core client</b> program,
which in turn downloads and executes project-specific executables. which in turn downloads and executes project-specific executables.
Participants can control how their resources are divided among the projects. Participants can control how their resources are divided among the
projects and which projects they participate in. Participants may
also control how many applications are running at once, thereby
taking advantage of multiple CPU systems.
<p>
</li>
<li> BOINC supports applications that produce or consume large amounts of data. <li><b>Comprehensive Security</b><br>
It allows data distribution and collection to be All file transfers to the host computer are validated with an MD5
spread across many servers, checksum, and all executable files are signed with RSA public/private key
and it allows participant hosts to do large data transfers unobtrusively. encryption (1024 bit default). See the <a href=security.html>security</a>
page for more details.
<p>
</li>
<li> BOINC supports applications with extreme requirements for <li><b>Host Work Caching</b><br>
memory or other resources. The BOINC core client will download enough work to keep the host
Work is dispatched only to hosts able to handle it. busy for a user specifiable amount of time. This will allow the client
to continue to function during project downtimes, as well as decrease
the frequency of connections to servers.
<p>
</li>
<li> BOINC applications can be developed in any language (C++, Fortran, Perl). <li><b>Multiple Platform Support</b><br>
An application can consist of several files The BOINC core client can run on almost any platform
(e.g. multiple programs and a coordinating script). (Mac OS X, Windows 95 and later, Linux and other Unix systems) and provides
New versions of applications can be deployed without participant download. OpenGL based graphics support on Mac OS X, Windows 95 and up, and X Windows.
Separate alpha, beta, and production versions <p>
</li>
<li><b>Open Source</b><br>
BOINC is fully open source and is distributed under the Mozilla Public License
version 1.0. Under this license, projects that utilize BOINC are not required to
release the source code of their project specific applications, though they
are encouraged to do so.
<p>
</li>
<li><b>Support for Large Data Computations</b><br>
BOINC supports applications that produce or consume large amounts of data (on
the order of gigabytes). It allows data distribution and collection to be
spread across many servers, and it allows participant hosts to do large
data transfers unobtrusively. Users are able to specify maximum storage usage
so that BOINC doesn't fill up their disk. BOINC also handles network
disconnections and allows user specifiable network bandwidth restrictions.
<p>
</li>
<li><b>Extreme Resource Requirement Support</b><br>
BOINC supports applications with extreme requirements for memory, disk,
cache or other resources. Work is dispatched only to hosts able to handle it.
<p>
</li>
<li><b>Application Program Interface</b><br>
An Application Program Interface (API) is provided to application developers
to ease integration with BOINC. See the <a href=api.html>API page</a> for
details.
<p>
</li>
<li><b>Support for Applications in any Language</b><br>
BOINC applications can be developed in any language (C++, Fortran, Perl). An
application can consist of several files (e.g. multiple programs and
a coordinating script). New versions of applications can be deployed
without requiring participants to download. Separate alpha, beta, and production versions
are distributed to the appropriate set of hosts. are distributed to the appropriate set of hosts.
<p>
</li>
<li> The BOINC core client can run on almost any platform <li><b>Database and Server Architecture</b><br>
(Mac, Windows, Linux and other Unix systems). BOINC provides a SQL schema, database functions, a simple server architecture,
web based user interfaces and server administration tools. Each project
must provide and maintain its own server systems and backend result
processing but these systems can be set up easily and require only
open-source components (MySQL, PHP, Apache, and Linux).
<p>
</li>
<li> A BOINC project must provide and maintain its own server systems,
but these systems can be set up easily and involve
only open-source components (MySQL, PHP, Apache, and Linux).
<li> BOINC is distributed under the Mozilla license.
</ul> </ul>