Updated BOINC overview (markdown)

BOINC-overview.md

@@ -13,11 +13,8 @@ BOINC can use worker nodes that are:
 
 * Heterogeneous: they have different processor and GPU types
 different operating systems (Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Android).
-
 * Sporadically available.
-
 * Untrusted: they may return incorrect computational results.
-
 * Large scale: millions or more worker nodes.
 
 Hence BOINC is well-suited to [volunteer computing](VolunteerComputing)
@@ -51,13 +48,11 @@ BOINC was created to provide scientists with large computing power
 at a small cost.
 One study found the following costs for a particular workload:
 
-### **Use Amazon's Elastic Computing Cloud: $175 Million**
-
-### **Build a cluster: $12.4 Million**
+* **Use Amazon's Elastic Computing Cloud: $175 Million**
+* **Build a cluster: $12.4 Million**.
 This includes power and air-conditioning infrastructure, network hardware, computing hardware, storage, electricity, and sysadmin personnel.
-
-### **Use BOINC: $125,000**
-Based on the average throughput and budget of several
+* **Use BOINC: $125,000**.
+This is based on the average throughput and budget of several
 volunteer computing projects.
 
 It takes (very roughly) three man-months to create a volunteer computing
@@ -78,20 +73,17 @@ Examples include:
  The project is operated by a single research group,
  and serves the members of that group.
  Examples include SETI@home, Rosetta@home, and Einstein@home.
-
 * Application-centered research community.
  The project is operated by a single research group,
  but serves a broader community in that science area.
  Example: Climateprediction.net,
  which is based at Oxford but provides computing to
  researchers at other institutions.
-
 * Science Gateway.
  The project is operated by a **science gateway**,
  i.e. a web site that serves a particular scientific community,
  and that provides HTC as well as other functions.
  An example is nanoHUB.
-
 * Institutional umbrella project.
  The project is operated by an organization (university or research lab),
  and serves the researchers in that organization.
@@ -99,7 +91,6 @@ Examples include:
  An academic example (no longer operating)
  is the University of Westminster in London.
  This idea is elaborated on [here](VirtualCampusSupercomputerCenter).
-
 * HPC provider.
  The project is operated by an HPC provider such as a supercomputing center.
  It processes the provider's HTC jobs
@@ -113,16 +104,13 @@ in the organizational hierarchy, and that serve many scientists:
 * The cost of maintaining a BOINC project is roughly constant,
   regardless of its size.
   For large projects, the cost per scientist is lower.
-
 * Publicity options: high-level organizational entities typically have
   existing publicity mechanisms (e.g. alumni magazines, newsletters, etc.)
   that can be leveraged to recruit volunteers.
-
 * Longevity: the duration of one scientist's need for HTC is generally shorter
   than that of a group of scientists.
   There are benefits in having a project last a long time
   (e.g. amortizing the startup cost).
-
 * Continuity: similarly, one scientist's computing workload may
   be sporadic, while that of a group of scientists is more continuous.
   Some volunteers prefer projects with continuous workloads.