AfterDawn: News

Buying a PS3 could cure cancer

Plunking down your hard earned cash on Sony's upcoming next-gen console, the PS3 could, in fact, help cure many diseases that plague the world. Sony executives met with US Biologists in charge of the folding@home project. In this meeting, they agreed to use the cell processor within the PS3 to harness some of the processing power needed to help the folding@home project work.

For those who dont know, folding@home is a small program the uses an interconnected series of computers to share the work load of data processing to find legitimate possible protein combinations that could cure common diseases. The data distributed among many different computers and devices decreases the processing time needed to find possible solutions by an infintesimal amount. The small folding@home program can be downloaded to your PC or now your PS3 and process protein structures while the device is idle.



folding@home representatives say that a network of 10,000 PS3s armed with their cell processors could effectively do the work of a supercomputer, pushing out a mind numbing "thousand trillon" calculations per second. If this is acheived, the processing power would outnumber that of the world's fastest supercomputer, IBM's BlueGene/L System which runs a miniscule 280.6 trillion calculations per second, in comparison.

Source:
BBC

Written by: Dave Horvath @ 27 Aug 2006 6:54

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• 101 comments

• nitrous3

  interesting

  27.8.2006 06:59 #1

• lxfactor

  hmm i don't know i don't like data being processed when my ps3 is idle.. they might be able to find out information about me! lol

  27.8.2006 07:04 #2

• Auslander

  wow....i still don't believe anyone at Sony still has a soul, though. there's got to be some motive for them in this besides helping humanity, like selling a few more PS3's.

  27.8.2006 07:04 #3

• BurningAs

  is this a publicity stunt?
  Because SONY's got a lotta *bleep* guts using this type of things for publicity!!!!!

  27.8.2006 07:05 #4

• halfhere

  thats crazy, we'll I guess we can only see....

  27.8.2006 07:09 #5

• ZippyDSM

  Ummm no they been doing this with computers for eyars nothign to new,dfenatly new for consoles it could have have done on the 360 but the 360 is/was a rushed mess....

  27.8.2006 07:45 #6

• Ace_2

  Hmmm, I don't know what to say, but this looks like it's just Sony trying to persuade people to get a PlayStation 3 despite its exaggerated price. It might be true. We'll just have to wait and see...

  27.8.2006 08:12 #7

• Dela

  Folding@home is a great idea. I have it installed and I run it every now and then for a few weeks straight, not sure what exactly it would do for the heat being produced by the cell processor. I'm sure like the PC version the amount of idle cpu cycles it can use can be set. Most people leave it at 100% which effectively keeps the processor at 100% usage constantly.
  
  Interesting idea though to merge the PS3 with this project, and obviously ud need to be connected to the internet with ur ps3 to participate. It's for the good of all of us :-)

  27.8.2006 08:19 #8

• s3a

  Wether Sony is doing this for publicity or not, it's a good thing! I still won't buy a PS3 though. If you want to buy a PS3, here's another reason. However, I don't think that any modders would like to get their information transmitted while their PS3 is idle. Not only modders but assuming that the PS3 is a computer like Sony says then, it could be plain private things such as a picture of you in bed with your girl that could be "retrieved" for cancer reasearch. LOL!
  
  P.S.
  If I misunderstood the concept of this article, someone please tell me.

  27.8.2006 08:24 #9

• Dela

  the folding@home project just downloads workfiles, spends a few days "folding" and then when its finished it sends the results back to the servers and then gets another workfile, sony wont be exploiting this feature to catch modders trust me lol work files wont even come from sony.

  27.8.2006 08:27 #10

• ZippyDSM

  s3a
  uummmmmm its a small app liek the one you downlaod it uses idel CPUs to process info it dosent hack your PS3 and other crap ,sony has other hidden programs to do that!

  27.8.2006 08:51 #11

• johncena6

  how much does it cost

  27.8.2006 09:38 #12

• jziman

  Humm.... Lets see. I buy a a game consol for me to use. Sony decides that they can sell the time that i am not using this equiptment. Humm.... Now if they did that I would want the price to be extreamly cheep. Not only are they using my hardware but my internet connection. I DONT THINK SO!!!

  27.8.2006 09:46 #13

• ZippyDSM

  jziman
  thats not how it works.....you can get this for the PC its dinky little download that uses some idel CPU power to mini calculate that times 10000000 = the same as asuper computer this has been going on for years,its jsut you might can do it with your PS3 as well......in the end its your choice....

  27.8.2006 09:56 #14

• malcdogg

  That's cool. Maybe later on they'll add support for other projects like seti@home, Rosetta@home, etc. Anyways, publicity stunt or no, still a good cause in the end.

  27.8.2006 10:39 #15

• dannyboy

  jziman,
  
  You won't have to worry though because you are obviously too tight to buy one anyway.
  
  

  27.8.2006 10:39 #16

• yourip

  The only way I'd buy it, is if 100% of the money I pay goes straight to charity! Well, looks like they're too greedy for that! I can only that each and every person that works for Sony gets cancer themselves! Just shows how much I hate Sony!

  27.8.2006 10:52 #17

• marsey99

  this is sony so its gotta be a stunt to get some headlines,no publicity is bad publicity, but it looks like 1 that could benefit us all.Zippy is damm right they will have other hidden ways of making sure we dont mod them aswel as updatable firmwares like the psp.

  27.8.2006 11:05 #18

• ZippyDSM

  dannyboy
  since your not so tight buy me one :3
  
  yourip
  there is no money involved even if you pay for the High end Sony Live clone it dose the same thing as free sony net,when iedling or mabye palying PSX/PS2 games that it dont need fuly power,but mostly I think its when the PS3 is in suspend or ideling between doing stuff.

  27.8.2006 11:12 #19

• Gvaz

  that still means consumers would have to spend a total of 5 million dollars...for the cheap one. and us biologists would be willing to spend that in their budget? i dont think so. its all false hopes sadly.

  27.8.2006 11:14 #20

• vgaddict8

  Yeah...Yeah...what a load of cr*p!!! I used to believed that "playing videogames could make you rich too...". Instead it turned everyone into a 9000 pounds obeased person.

  27.8.2006 12:00 #21

• 360dude

  you smell tha? bullshit

  27.8.2006 12:11 #22

• Ankoku

  The majority of you make me sick, do you all not understand that cancer is a horrid disease? We should all be doing more to find a cure. Yourip, as far as Im concerned you can go to hell, nobody should wish cancer on another. You all think you're all sooo smart, ohh publicity stunt this, trying to sell more PS3's that, I'll gladly install this program, if I have to pay, I'd be more than happy to. Sony is just doing its part, hopefully microsoft follows suit.

  27.8.2006 12:31 #23

• Gvaz

  sure cancer sucks. but do you think that people will seriously help out with their ps3s? no. it aint happening.

  27.8.2006 12:35 #24

• vgaddict8

  If the ps3 can cure cancer...can it cook food and wash my cloths for me too? Sony is full of sh*t!!!!!

  27.8.2006 12:38 #25

• ZippyDSM

  vgaddict8
  ....I dont thik its "SONY" doing anythign.....I think tis the group that ar tring to hobble togather a super computer wiht everyones idle cpu cycles...I am sure sony only nudge them with alittle money *L*
  
  wait arent you gettign a PS3 ? LOL
  
  

  I have a brain...I think......
  I fuzzy braind mew =0_o=
  FIGHT THE M.A.F.I.A.A.
  "Music And Film Industry Association of America.."
  "Hollywood the 4kids of comic moives."

  27.8.2006 12:53 #26

• vgaddict8

  I will get a ps3 onced it's hacked. Right now...I want a 360 so bad!!!

  27.8.2006 13:00 #27

• djboogie

  I think its freaking disgusting that using a game console as an "ad" for curing deseases is dispicable.
  Sony were never up on my list of honesty, but now theyre scraping the barrel.
  
  BurningAs is right, this is a publicity stunt.
  its a dispicable one too!!!!
  f**k Sony!

  27.8.2006 13:49 #28

• Davedough

  The majority of you are missing the point of this article. At no time in the article did it anywhere state that any money had changed hands or Sony was set to profit on this in any way. The price point of the PS3 had already been disclosed a few months ago, people are already prepared for the price, so there would be no new additional profit by instituting this program.
  
  Also, as far as a publicity stunt... who, that is even remotely engaged in the gaming world doesn't already know that the PS3 is coming out, when its coming out and how much it costs? They dont need anymore publicity, so what would be the point in this? On the same note, even if they DO run an ad or sign this deal for publicity, so what? Cancer. Alzheimer's Disease, AIDS, many of the diseases that plague this world could potentially come to a halt. No one in the world is safe from any of these diseases and the millions of others, so if Sony wants to offer up their processing power (10 times more powerful than current PC processors) to help the greater good, what has it hurt?
  
  To damn Sony for trying to do some good is just assinine. Sony is already rich, they already have a global market share on many electronic markets. Now some of you damn them further by saying they're selling out by trying to give something back to the community. In this case, "community" means the world. You, me, your mother, everyone could potentially be effected by this. How can any of you possibly think this is a bad thing?

  27.8.2006 14:44 #29

• ZippyDSM

  Davedough
  you can try and tell them it will fall on deaf ears...maybe if we had strippers and drinks we'd gain their attention for a whole 2.0 seconds.
  
  Besides Id rather see the PS3 strip...SHAKE IT BABY 0-o
  I cant wait to see pics at least by then will know its ture specs.
  
  
  

  27.8.2006 15:09 #30

• egomaniac

  Well said Davedough.
  
  Some of you ppl disgust me, everything just has to be a conspiracy or marketing ploy just because you already hate Sony? Thats so cynical. I'm glad Sony is doing something good and new here with the PS3. We all know Sony has its shortcomings but give them credit where credit is due when they do something right.

  27.8.2006 15:26 #31

• tocool4u

  Well said Davedough.
  
  The folding@home project is a "free" project. I think anybody that votes nay for it doesn't have respect for all of the sick people in the world. I mean it runs in the backround and barely any proccesor power is being "reserved". Since I've read this article I went to thier website: http://folding.stanford.edu (I hope thats aloud). And I read about the project and Downloaded the program and its been running ever since. And trust me you won't notice a difference in proccesing power when you use it if your doing standard things. And say you want to burn a Dvd, you can pause it untill your down and then resume.
  
  My 2 cents on the subject :-)

  27.8.2006 18:47 #32

• Gvaz

  yes..but that program is limited by the upload of your ISP. i have 60kbs tops. thats the maximum where i live. can all those computations per second be truely shared over the net? nay, i dont think so.
  unless you have a 10-100mb connection, the chance of that happening is folly.
  
  especially since im using my whole DOWNLOAD (185kb) speed almost 24/7. it costs me $56 a month and repeatedly goes down often. this is just a waste of time and hopes and dreams.
  
  its a nice idea, but it wouldnt work anyways.

  27.8.2006 18:58 #33

• ZippyDSM

  Gvaz
  it dose work thats why its survived for years.

  27.8.2006 19:09 #34

• s3a

  I don't have cancer neither do I know anyone who does but, why not help cancer research if it is free?! I just need to ask three questions. Can I use an app such as Netlimiter to limit how many kb/s I would like to dedicate for this program? I will buy the AMD Athlon 64 3800+ x2 which is a dual-core CPU, so my question is, can I dedicate only one core for this program?! They do not gather any of my private information, right?!
  
  P.S.
  Can someone help get me started ON THE PC?!

  27.8.2006 19:19 #35

• ZippyDSM

  my mom died of it in march of 05 liver cancer chemo pracitly killed her tho..pot could ahve let her eat..but nnooo pot is teh evilll......

  27.8.2006 19:24 #36

• s3a

  Zippy ur mom is dead?! If my mom was dead, I'd drown myself in tears!!!!

  27.8.2006 19:29 #37

• ZippyDSM

  s3a
  moved post to here
  http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/386746
  
  I am trying to follow the rules...even tho I screw up alot on the off topic stuff *L*

  27.8.2006 19:41 #38

• s3a

  Can someone give me that program to help cancer people in need?!

  27.8.2006 20:14 #39

• Davedough

  You can download it here. http://www.stanford.edu/group/pandegroup/release/Folding@Home503.EXE

  27.8.2006 20:18 #40

• s3a

  I hope 1 kb/s helps them (until I get high speed)...I havent done anything yet...im too tired to do anything, I will now go to sleep! I will help cancer tomorow...

  27.8.2006 20:34 #41

• ZippyDSM

  s3a
  I dont mean to post off topic but in teh city here they have old style DSL the cap is 64 up and 128 down and tis 70 a month 0_o
  
  I love rualness its a shame I am 10K feet away from the last remote even that would be more preferable to dailup.

  27.8.2006 20:40 #42

• 21Q

  well, I think it's a great idea, I've already installed the prog on my pc.

  27.8.2006 21:36 #43

• hot_ice

  If I buy a PS3, I can cure cancer! Wowie!
  
  Pff...
  
  This cure for cancer campaign is more of a concern for raking in potential profit by patenting a drug, than curing people: and more importantly, a money making scheme that plays on people's empathy, rather than some CEO which called us mindless buggers that couldn't care less about anyone save for his stock options in the Sony corporation.
  
  

  27.8.2006 22:11 #44

• 21Q

  ARGGGGG, THIS PROG IS FREE, MEANS SONY will not profit, the prog is just put to run, simple as that, is it sooooooooo wrong for money hungry people to grow a heart once in a while. This prog helps the resaerchers to examine some kinda molocule stuff.

  27.8.2006 22:15 #45

• The_Fiend

  Regardless of wether or not this helps Sony get more publicity, in the end it does show they are at least somewhat interested in the greater good after all, even if it is just another marketing ploy.
  I've been running folding@home for a while, and so are a number of people i know, and i want to add that the amount of bandwidth it uses is minimal.
  It's mostly raw data being transferred, and even people i know that are on dial-up use it with some nice dialy results.
  Not to mention you control how much cpu cycles it uses, which means you decide your own level of commitment.
  
  To make a long story short, if you're not running this already, then go download it NOW ! :-)

  27.8.2006 22:15 #46

• 21Q

  Darn Straight

  27.8.2006 22:33 #47

• oofRome

  This is great news.
  
  
  But is there going to be a new article everytime Sony agrees to have a program able to be downloaded on the ps3? I mean technically microsoft, apple, hp, ibm, dell, basically every software or hardware company should be getting the same attention because you can do this exact same thing on a computer.
  I just don't see why this sort of thing would merit a front page news article when Sony has already pushed the idea of the ps3 being applicable as a computer.
  
  But I'm certainly not crying foul on Sony or anything. By all means, this is good publicity for the greater good, and hopefully with enough of these kinds of articles people might look further into the folding@home project.

  27.8.2006 22:46 #48

• 21Q

  just had a thought, ps3 modders might make a ps3 os to put on the ps3, that would be hot, an insane gameing system and a pc in one, for only $600, cool, hope it happens
  
  (srry off topic)

  27.8.2006 22:55 #49

• ZippyDSM

  21Q
  more like 700 or 800 new mod chps pro install larger HD ect,ect
  
  still tho it would be worth 1G for a mega PS3 0_o OMG it can copy its own games with a add on 0-o (add on not amde yet wait 2-3 years and shell out 100-300) LOL
  
  
  
  
  s3a
  and no..I have not been to bed yet ><
  makes 29 hours I been up *L*
  
  
  

  I have a brain...I think......
  I fuzzy braind mew =0_o=
  FIGHT THE M.A.F.I.A.A.
  "Music And Film Industry Association of America.."
  "Hollywood the 4kids of comic moives."

  28.8.2006 00:08 #50

• damo_red

  dude get some sleep lol.
  
  the cuase seems a good idea, as long as this isent used as a plubicity stunt i dont see the problem with this.

  28.8.2006 03:42 #51

• ZippyDSM

  damo_red
  can we say 40 hours and going.....mabye I need to take soem bendryl and take a fing napp *L*

  28.8.2006 05:41 #52

• DamonDash

  Damm i dont understand if company does nothing no one even say a thing but when a company put forward a effort to make thing better some of you slam it.Some of you really need to look in a mirror at yourself.But i bet if it was one of you own you would not be saying this trash.

  28.8.2006 06:43 #53

• JXP2307

  Some people are never happy, huh?
  
  
  This is a GREAT idea, and how can anyone trying to help cure a horrible disease be accused of a plot to make more money? How cares even if it is? The point is this: They are trying to help do their part. I wish microsoft did something like this on the 360.
  
  My wife has recently been diagnosed with brian cancer. Anything that might help cure this horrible disease is more than welcome in my eyes.
  
  Those of you who don't have a heart..... tough. This should happen.
  
  It has been a long time since I approved of ANYTHING that sony does, but I cannot and WILL NOT fault them for this one.
  
  Off topic, this is basically the same technology that you can do for S.E.T.I. already on your PC.
  
  Brilliant idea.
  

  28.8.2006 08:15 #54

• ofolion

  Publicity stunt. Doubtful to be successful, most people won't leave their PS3's connected or on 24/7 to help do processes. Also sounds like a good place for a virus.
  
  Mainly this is a publicity stunt. I can see it on the adverts already now; "Buying a PS3 could not only entertain you, but save others" Children will have a good excuse why their parents should fork out for a overpriced console now.
  
  All in all sounds like Sony is getting desperate

  28.8.2006 08:48 #55

• creaky

  profanities removed, remember this is a news thread so possibly more visible to the public than normal threads..
  

  
  gif created by phantom69, he's a good lad
  
  Forum Rules - http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/2487
  'Verbatim Taiyo Yuden', Verbatim DataLifePlus, & vanilla Taiyo Yuden are the ONLY media allowed near my Burners.
  ..Memorex/CMC/Imation/HP/TDK - don't let them near your Burner... - http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/232406
  .. NO MORE "Help me bridge" ADVERTISEMENT TYPE POSTS... - http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/287456

  28.8.2006 09:14 #56

• 21Q

  (I'm off topic here)
  @ creaky, was that cuz of my post in the safty valve???
  
  anyway
  
  WOULD all of you stop sayin profit this profit that, It's a good thing so just accept sony has some heart left, you guys just won't admit that sony isn't all bad, why don't you guys grow a heart and see what good can come frome this, THOUSANDS of people will buy a ps3, so there will be THOUSANDS of people helping to fight cancer, understabd that, this isn't about getting more money or selling more systems or a publicity stunt, IT'S FOR THE GREATER GOOD.

  28.8.2006 09:32 #57

• creaky

  Quote:off topic @ creaky, was that cuz of my post in the safty valve??? - not at all, we both mis-understood each other :)
  

  
  gif created by phantom69, he's a good lad
  
  Forum Rules - http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/2487
  'Verbatim Taiyo Yuden', Verbatim DataLifePlus, & vanilla Taiyo Yuden are the ONLY media allowed near my Burners.
  ..Memorex/CMC/Imation/HP/TDK - don't let them near your Burner... - http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/232406
  .. NO MORE "Help me bridge" ADVERTISEMENT TYPE POSTS... - http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/287456

  28.8.2006 09:40 #58

• FlakMNKEY

  Anyone know if you need to open ports on a router or firewall for this program to work? I have a Dlink 604

  28.8.2006 10:40 #59

• Ankoku

  As far as my experience, you just download and run, I use a dlink router and havent hard problems

  28.8.2006 10:53 #60

• Davedough

  the program runs on port 8080, so if thats blocked on your firewall or router, open it up for the .exe folding runs on.

  28.8.2006 11:15 #61

• hot_ice

  A corporation doesn't have a heart, it only finds opportunities to rake in more profit. At the end of the day, it's not about saving the world that matters, it's about tapping a market of potential customers who have a vested interest in saving others. That translates into more money. That's all it is, potential markets, and how to tap into them, to rake in more profit at every quaterly.

  28.8.2006 11:59 #62

• pieman

  everyone will either get a form of cancer, or will have a family member suffer from it.Ive lost both in laws to it in the last two years.Real bastard to watch.Just last week my best mates wife has found two lumps in her breast.That old waiting game again.Which is why ill do anything to help with a cure/treatment/research.Ive been running a program from united devices that runs in the background only uses spare processor power and is fully customisable.Most research is done by computer simulation which gives scientists particular leads to follow,which saves a lot of time.Can you imagine the processing power of home computers all combined in this simulation??simply amazing.This program is easy to use/manage, and only requires an internet connection.The net is only used to send back results/recieve new data.And it has nothing to do with SONY (if thats your beef).Try it, visit http://www.grid.org/download/gold/download.htm
  and read about it.It just might bring that cure just a bit closer.

  28.8.2006 12:13 #63

• boneslave

  I have to agree with this being a publicity stunt. Sony tries to pull ahead by showing they care, and it will probabley work. I'm not saying their bad people for doing this cause for all i know Some half a million PS3s running together for at least 5 hr a day will really help these fesearchers find a cure for cancer and Im all for that. I just hope people understand that this is just a promotion to push their system.
  

  28.8.2006 12:38 #64

• FlakMNKEY

  boneslave - "I have to agree with this being a publicity stunt. Sony tries to pull ahead by showing they care, and it will probabley work. I'm not saying their bad people for doing this cause for all i know Some half a million PS3s running together for at least 5 hr a day will really help these fesearchers find a cure for cancer and Im all for that. I just hope people understand that this is just a promotion to push their system."
  
  Are you F'G kidding me? how in any way is having this program on the ps3 going to help sony's sales? maybe .0000001%, I know im dropping 600 bucks on a ps3 to run this program - your insane. get a freaking life and stop living in your small I hate corporations world and help out research your retard.
  
  I'm running it on my computer after reading this. sort of cool actually. But no im not planning on buying a ps3 because of it. 360 suits me just fine.
  
  
  

  28.8.2006 12:58 #65

• wolf123

  this has too be a joke
  

  28.8.2006 14:46 #66

• s3a

  Does the folding@home program (PC Version) collect any of my private information?! When I have my AMD Athlon 64 3800+ x2 CPU, if I tell the program to use 50% of it's power, it will bassically use one one of my two cores, right? I ask because, one CPU (technically, one core) is fine with me for doing overnight work! I hope I save lots of cancer people with this. Right now, I am thinking of using 25% (750 Mhz) of my CPU's (Intel 630) power.

  28.8.2006 14:59 #67

• scorpNZ

  It runs while the comp is idle so will not be working while you are,the desktop search thingy's that catalogue your files work the same way(not to be confused with windows indexing service).
  
  Actually the use of multiple online personal comps is nothing new as i think it's Seti does the same thing

  28.8.2006 15:44 #68

• kearney

  FlakMNKEY - boneslave is right, and you're falling for Sony's trick. Maybe you don't think that this program will affect Sony's sales, but I can assure you, some people out there [potenially kids] are going to use this program to as an excuse [persuade parents] to get a PS3. And this is what Sony is counting on.
  
  I'm not anti Sony, but some one else noted, "who is going to leave a PS3 on all day?" My guess, no one.
  
  hot_ice has it right on the money. If corporations cared, they wouldn't have a marketin dept. to put a spin on what their selling. All Sony is trying to do is reach people on an emotional level to increase its sales.
  
  Why didn't M$ do this...they don't have to "help" people justify spending way to much on a "pleasure" machine. They created a system which is good, and affordable (more or less). Same with Nintendo. Remember, this is a gaming console, not a super computer, nor a personal computer. Its meant to entertain, not save the world.
  
  What would truly show that a corp cared, is if they gave a couple of machines to folding@home, their tax writeable you know.
  
  OK, Flame me guys.

  28.8.2006 20:15 #69

• Gvaz

  finally. a coherant post. thank you.
  that is exactly the point. its all nice...but its impractical.

  28.8.2006 20:17 #70

• oofRome

  Quote:Why didn't M$ do this...they don't have to "help" people justify spending way to much on a "pleasure" machine. They created a system which is good, and affordable (more or less). Same with Nintendo. Remember, this is a gaming console, not a super computer, nor a personal computer. Its meant to entertain, not save the world.That's not true. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to see microsoft respond with something. Hell, I'm sure Nintendo could work to get a program on the Wii. All 3 system's have browsers, an internet connection, and fairly decent processors. (mostly the 360 and ps3, lol)
  What doesn't make sense is why this is newsworthy. The PS3 was announced to be partially applicable as a computer. It is being shipped with a linux kernel. It's the all-in-one, and yet Sony can manage to make news out of something that really isn't that surprising. It's almost as bad as Nintendo.
  
  Having said that, let me re-iterate that anyone with the resources should definately pick up the project. I could care less what kind of "publicity stunt" Sony is doing, the fact that it relates to the folding@home project should be enough to stem any fanboy flaming response.
  
  
  And now for a little fun, to really get all you Sony fans riled up ;) Quote:folding@home representatives say that a network of 10,000 PS3s armed with their cell processors could effectively do the work of a supercomputer, pushing out a mind numbing "thousand trillon" calculations per second. If this is acheived, the processing power would outnumber that of the world's fastest supercomputer, IBM's BlueGene/L System which runs a miniscule 280.6 trillion calculations per second, in comparison.BUT I THOUGHT THE CELL PROCESSOR WAS A SUPERCOMPUTER IN ITSELF! WHY DO YOU NEED 10,000 TO BE COMPARABLE WITH BLUGENE?!?!
  
  
  enjoy.

  28.8.2006 23:05 #71

• ZippyDSM

  oofRome
  Sony has Spin Witch Doctors that create soemthing from nothing with the soemtiems there soemtiems not disclaimer..SPECS WILL CHNAGE UP TO 90 DAYS AFTER LAUNCH.
  
  
  Nintendo jsut makes poo cute with riboins and bows and such some poo is useable framers have been useing it sicne the begaining of time some poo...is just....poo...
  
  I changed sht to poo.....I dunno why most censoreship is pointless...

  29.8.2006 00:01 #72

• natony

  OK, so to summarise;
  
  -Sony is probably doing this as a publicity stunt. It's not costing them anything, they are getting free publicity.
  -This does not mean that the folding@home project is bad. The positive effects could be immense if people take this up on a massive scale.
  -This should not envourage anyone to buy a PS3 (as the software can be installed on any PC, presumably with better effect due to PCs being better and computing). However kids may use it as leverage with their parents.
  
  Finally, if Sony really wanted to change the world, they wouldn't be making consumer electronics for rich westerners to buy.
  

  29.8.2006 00:25 #73

• ZippyDSM

  natony
  ""
  Finally, if Sony really wanted to change the world, they wouldn't be making consumer electronics for rich westerners to buy. ""
  Oh please this si a japanase system it will sale like hoycakes in japan just becuse its insanly priced dosent mean they are fouceing at the west >>

  29.8.2006 00:30 #74

• ofolion

  I agree with natony; The idea is not bad but its really only a publicity stunt. Like polticians going and seeing children in hospital or something; you know they don't really care, something good does come out of it and it looks good for the press.
  
  If your saying "oh their doing something good" yeah they are, something good for their sales. If they really wanted to help to this then they could run it on their servers and computers, it would probably do the work of a million PS3's but they won't because all in all they don't care, its mearly a publicity stunt.
  
  And it WILL help sales, look at it i can see children rushing to their parents "i want a PS3, please it can help cure cancer, look at this web page, see!!!" Very naive of people to fall for this.

  29.8.2006 01:19 #75

• borhan9

  Ok I know I'm comming to this article late. but better late than never :)
  
  This is confusing this computer processing thing will help calculate how to tackle cancer and other deseases. Kinda hard to belive. I rather wait and get more info on this.

  29.8.2006 02:50 #76

• mystic

  And thats because the sticker shock will have everyone falling over from a heart atcak instead of radeation from long time exposure from those old tv sets....... next they'll tell us to stick our collective heads in a tolit to prevent ingrown toe nails , and that'll work because you have drowned yourself... or what was it 5 years ago strap this electric shock belt around your waist to exercise while watching tv and eating a bucket of chicken.... lol

  29.8.2006 08:12 #77

• Ghostdog

  Quote:My wife has recently been diagnosed with brian cancer. Anything that might help cure this horrible disease is more than welcome in my eyes. Terrible. Brian cancer is probably one of the worst forms of cancer known to man.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Okay, and now... sorry. I shouldn´t joke about something like this, but I couldn´t resist. I´m very sorry for your wife - I hope she pulls through and goes on to live a long and happy life. Give her lots of love every day and be thankful for the time you have together.

  29.8.2006 08:54 #78

• marsey99

  Davedough i agree with what your eariler post said
  first up i will get a ps3 this year if they get enough in the shops,
  and folding at home is the best way to make a difference, as every little helps. if 10'000 ps3s = the most powerful supercomp available i will quite be happy to give it some band width for a few hours a week as ive used seti for ages now.
  
  back to sony, it is a world class, top draw marketing plan. not only does it get us talking about it, im sure it will apear on tv techno shows and it will hit the new stands in the tabloids and the broad sheets and thats almost priceless advertising. and i could be wrong but the reason sony wanted to get it recognised as a "computer" and not a console is to dodge the inport taxs that they have to pay in europe

  29.8.2006 09:25 #79

• hot_ice

  Maybe we should focus all our money on creating nanotechnology, this will help cure all diseases.

  29.8.2006 11:00 #80

• natony

  @ZIppyDSM
  
  I suppose that when I said westerners I really meant people who live in 1st world countries.
  The reason I don't like this is because it's using the potential (and I really want to emphasise the potential here) to cure 1st world disease (ie cancer) to sell their product to people in 1st world countries.

  29.8.2006 17:11 #81

• MightyOne

  Sylvia Browne says there will be a cure for all cancer as we know it.
  
  I believe her. She's on the ball !!!!
  
  See for yourself....knowing this before it happens...then perhaps its via world participation in super computer power....who knows....

  29.8.2006 17:37 #82

• scsmsn

  ok really if i spend so much for a ps3 how does it help
  because if i buy it how can they possibly use it. the only way they could use it is if its on a network that i cant afford. i would love to help because i lost a few friends and family due to cancer. so how does this work please email me at cosmo15900@gmail.com

  29.8.2006 20:25 #83

• ZippyDSM

  natony
  that I can agree with :3

  29.8.2006 21:24 #84

• Dunker

  I think a lot of folks are missing the point - the folding@home project is a valid project. Sony is one of the scuzziest companies on the face of the earth, but if you don't like them, then *don't support them by buying a PS3 in the first place!* You can still help the folding@home project by downloading the PC version of the software at http://folding.stanford.edu/download.html

  29.8.2006 22:48 #85

• Andrew691

  I rewally dont see how this is publicity for the ps3, nore than anything its actually helping the Folding@home project. Untill now i had never heard of it, but since this article ive installed it to my computer and had it running 24/7. I dont see how helping them will make anymore people buy a PS3.
  
  As for solving cancer it might already have been partially solved. http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa003&articleID=00050D07-6D22-14EF-AD2283414B7F0000

  30.8.2006 02:30 #86

• Jagosix

  Hello Fellow Gamers. This is nothing new. PCs have beeen doing this for many years (even b4 gaming). Have you all ever hear of clustering? There are Millions of Computers already connected to the internet & running. You could combine all of the consoles & it still won't even come close to the amount of computers out there. This is a bunch of crap.
  Kearny... "Why didn't M$ do this...they don't have to "help" people justify spending way to much on a "pleasure" machine. They created a system which is good, and affordable (more or less). Same with Nintendo. Remember, this is a gaming console, not a super computer, nor a personal computer. Its meant to entertain, not save the world."
  M$ have already been helping. Their software is on 90% of the worlds computer, runnning clustering programs like these for years & will do so years after. Sony is truly behind the times to think this is something new & innovative.
  
  

  30.8.2006 02:44 #87

• mystic

  if this prodject was to work they need x amont of systems well why dont they get all the school department world wide to install this software and run it after school .. lets see with the fact that from 230 pm daily till 7am the next morning all computers in school are turned off why cant they let them run and compile the numbers for them ? this would also teach student that they with a combind effort have saved the world...... well can any one argue with that?this adds up to 16.5 hours of massive computer time that the feds are paying for to cure the number one killer in the US alone.... so why hasn't anyone thought of this befor since its coming from a collage one would think they were smarter then the average joe .....( just a thought)

  30.8.2006 06:10 #88

• pantsfire

  I don't get it.

  30.8.2006 13:48 #89

• marsey99

  @mystic i thought it was being fat that was the no1 cause of death/lead to the cause of death in the states?
  also if the folding projects are only working when the pupils arent in school how would they know/learn what it was doing?
  way way of track here by the way this started with sonys latest spin tactic

  30.8.2006 15:44 #90

• mystic

  ok lets say that your computer is working on crunching numbers for the project then its really going to bog down if your on it now if we line up all the machines in the school that I work at that like 350 just in the high school and let them work all night then its helpful and now multiply that against every high school in the usa we just help alot. so what will the kids learn that a project this side can be a beniffit to all of man kind and make them relise that they and their little issues are not the center of the world.but hey if you want to link ps3 together that cost so much why use your electrisity and your consul when all thease computers are just turned off?and no one even asked us to leave them on or to install the software...

  31.8.2006 07:01 #91

• Mr-Movies

  Seti has been doing this for a very long time you can become a member and sign up to crunch radio antenna data for them, and they will share the resualts with you, kinda cool in that forum. I agree here it's only a ploy to get people to buy their consoles which Sony knows now that their reputation has decreased some since the last root kit attack they deployed.

  31.8.2006 09:27 #92

• OAKside24

  Most eye-catching headline to date. ROFLed. (Eating a proper, healthy (vegan) diet 'cures' cancer much better than supercomputers can ever hope to. ;)

  31.8.2006 20:12 #93

• BIGnewb

  by the way there is a cure for cancer except the comapnies who make money from the charities make money and they keep it because they dont have to research because they already have a cure but still wanna make money.LOL.the secret is in homeopathy.peace out

  1.9.2006 02:24 #94

• voyager

  I thought PS3 was a game machine.....but wait! Kutaragi said the truth;"PS3 is not a gaming machine".

  2.9.2006 03:18 #95

• ZippyDSM

  voyager
  its not its the new center to "media entertainment center"
  
  the 360 is mostly one to just has a weaker gaming part *L*

  2.9.2006 09:09 #96

• bsrealm

  Just think about your processor life when you run them 24x7 ^_^
  
  
  Cheers

  4.9.2006 11:47 #97

• bsrealm

  And, if just 10000 units are enough to beat IBM's bluegene by over 3 times, then, what exactly is IBM doing? Dont tell me they cannot afford 10000 units of PS3s ;) If you know what I mean :D

  4.9.2006 11:48 #98

• s3a

  If you are going to buy a PS3, you can help cancer in this way otherwise buy a dual-core CPU and dedicate one core for this "project". :)
  
  P.S.
  You can dedicate only 100 Mhz of your CPU and IT WILL still help!
  
  P.S. #2
  Bottom line: the PS3's will cure cancer! :) They will revolutionize the world!!!! However, I still am not buying a PS3! The only way I'll get a PS3 in my house is if someone gives it to me for free!
  

  If I insult you...don't get offended...my insults are "friendly insults"...I know this sounds stupid (ridiculous) but I am fet up of writing, "no offense" in my posts...
  
  My Comp:
  -420 Watt PSU
  -Intel Pentium 4 3.0 Ghz, 2 MB Cache (630) with HT
  -330 GB HDD (80 GB Int. + 250 GB Ext.)
  -1 GB PC3200 RAM DDR 400 Mhz
  -ATI RADEON X600 PRO, 256 MB Graphics Card
  -Tower capable of holding 5 (or 4) HDD's, 4 optical drives and 1 (or 2) floppy drive(s)
  -6 USB 2.0 ports, 2 firewire ports
  -Asus P5GDC Deluxe Mo-bo (DDR and DDR2 capable)
  -Wireless Logitech Mouse (optical)/Keyboard
  -56k V.92 Modem PCI

  9.9.2006 19:36 #99

• bsrealm

  o.O Way to Go!
  
  Yea, XB360 is a MUCH better buy than the PS3. Tell me, aren't there ever so many of them well versed with hacking Microsoft stuff ;)
  
  
  Cheers

  10.9.2006 01:06 #100

• derhama

  creaky got me, i'm such a tool

  12.9.2006 11:47 #101