Ubuntu or Windows for WCG

[Weevil]

I'm sure this has been asked, but im not having much luck searching. I've switched one of my crunch boxes to it, so I will know in a matter of a few days, but hoping others have tried this and have input.

Thank you.

[retro77]

I've had great success running WCG on both. Which better, depends on what your more comfortable with managing and troubleshooting long term.

[Weevil]

Any difference in output?

[trn]

Output differences are project dependent; I think Linux is known to get a little bit more work done and windows is known to score a little better, but this all depends on the project.

[Origin_Unknown]

i only have one machine crunching on windows, my others (4/5) are all ubuntu - mainly for the freeness of it

[Gamekiller]

i only have one machine crunching on windows, my others (4/5) are all ubuntu - mainly for the freeness of it

Yeah, Ubuntu is awesome and FREE. Too bad it doesn't "just work" as well as my Windows installs but it's getting better with every update. (fought a lot with a 'supported' wireless adaptor.. issue was firmware is by default in the wrong location DOH!)

And I agree with retro, use what you feel comfortable using. Setting up BOINC on Ubuntu (or any Linux OS probably) is very simple and I believe there's even a tutorial around here somewhere.

[Weevil]

I've already got it up in running, that was a no brainer, was just wondering if there was a performance advantage for either..

[sierra_bound]

As trn mentioned, Linux will complete more results per day. But the credit you receive for each result will generally be lower than with Windows.

[Weevil]

I wonder why?

[Bun-Bun]

I wonder why?

Very good question.

If linux is doing more work then when wouldn't it be awarded more points? Then again I don't understand WCG/Boinc's point system.

[disturbed13]

someone forgot to carry their numbers

[Origin_Unknown]

i would say that it's because the shorter the runtime for WU's the less points you get, so if ubuntu can crunch faster than windows you will get more results but less points.

[D_A]

Very good question.

If linux is doing more work then when wouldn't it be awarded more points? Then again I don't understand WCG/Boinc's point system.

i would say that it's because the shorter the runtime for WU's the less points you get, so if ubuntu can crunch faster than windows you will get more results but less points.

It's a combination of Linux punching through the work faster but getting worse benchmark scores. Less time x lower benchmark gives less points. Since WCG keeps assuring us that the work units are the same logic would suggest that the OS getting the work done faster should get higher benches. Knowing that it doesn't suggests the benchmarks are skewed somehow. While it would be possible to get all hissy about that, there's no point. The whole point of this is to get the work done as best as you can.

Of course if you're building dedicated machines, not having to cough up an extra couple hundred for the OS gives you more to spend on the hardware, plus the chances of your farm getting borg'd into a botnet by some nasty that got on your network from a kid's USB stick drop to about zero.

[Sparky]

I prefer windows because I'm a total linux idiot. But my one cruncher doesn't have full ACPI support in its BIOS so linux is my only option. I mucked my way through it getting it set up, and then thanks to D_A I just got BOINC updated to the latest version as I was kicking it back online.

[Gamekiller]

I've already got it up in running, that was a no brainer, was just wondering if there was a performance advantage for either..

Ah, a no brainer, huh? Then I feel sorry for us morons with brains who've had a hard time with it!

[Weevil]

Install Ubuntu, open a terminal, and paste this "sudo apt-get install boinc-client boinc-manager" ; )

[Gamekiller]

Install Ubuntu, open a terminal, and paste this "sudo apt-get install boinc-client boinc-manager" ; )

Just messing with you. I was more referring to the extra things one might want such as sensors (pretty simple) and perhaps what I'm always having issues with.... wireless. :O

[D_A]

Even I will admit that wireless networking, at least consumer level stuff, has been a weakness for Linux for some time. That's what happens when manufacturers don't want to write modules for Linux and won't release the information needed for someone else to do it. Having said that, it's getting better and there are ways around the problem (using wrapper code to make the Windows drivers usable), though it can be complicated.

[Gamekiller]

Even I will admit that wireless networking, at least consumer level stuff, has been a weakness for Linux for some time. That's what happens when manufacturers don't want to write modules for Linux and won't release the information needed for someone else to do it. Having said that, it's getting better and there are ways around the problem (using wrapper code to make the Windows drivers usable), though it can be complicated.

Yeah, I had to use ndiswrapper for my old adapter which was so annoying (combined with the adapter being outdated) that I bought a "supported" model. It came with linux drivers and everything but as I said before the issue was that the firmware in Ubuntu is by default in the incorrect location. It took days for me to figure that out!

[D_A]

More than one "old skool" Linux user has cursed the way Ubuntu is ... "different" in how it arranges system files. They've never provided any reason why they've done it, either, no matter how often the question has been asked.

[Jaco]

I've installed Ubuntu on my laptop and wireless works out of the box.
Much easier than installing Windows XP. (it a 32 bit cpu unfortunately)
But I'm gonna install XP anyway so I can undervolt the cpu and expand the battery life.

[D_A]

Isn't undervolting a BIOS setting?

[jspace]

Isn't undervolting a BIOS setting?

Not usually on laptops. He might be talking about something like RMClock, which has no Linux equivalent AFAIK.