What to do with your computer's spare time

[Zacko10000]

I'm compling a list of things to do with the "spare time" of my computer, so far, I have just started looking I have only found RC5 and SETI@Home. Are there any more causes out there?

http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu -SETI@home

http://www.sysopt.com/rc5 -Sysopt RC5 Team


[This message has been edited by Zacko10000 (edited 06-01-99).]

[Nathan]

I've seen this elsewhere. So can someone explain to me why any organization should have access to my computer when it's idle? I understand that it helps them some, but what about security? If I have important info on your hard drive, why would one want to risk something happening to it? I'm not saying the organization is going to do something on purpose, but if there is a disguntled user there...

Does this make sense???

[skywalker[TSG]]

they cant mezz around with your computer what makes u think they can ?

ive used rc5 about 6months its great

[800XL]

Lets take RC5 as the example here. You download and install their client software. It uses some of your idle CPU time to check encrypted keys against a chunk of encrypted data. It downloads blocks of keys, checks them, then uploads those blocks with the result. That is all that is going on. I know it is possible for someone to come up with a program that would appear to do something similar, but actually send personal information, or allow access to your machine remotely, but the RC5/DES client does not do this that I have heard. With the 100,000 plus geeks involved in that project, you would think that one of them would have found out exactly what that client is doing by now.
You are right to be a little paranoid, but in the case of Distributed.net's RC5 project, you are much less at risk from it than you are from Internet Explorer, ICQ, Netscape, AOL, or any number of commonly used applications. If you do get involved with these types of projects, always download the client from their own site to avoid getting a Trojan Horse version, and investigate them. Ask questions of them and look around for endorsments. Just like any other product.

As for reasons to do it, if your machine cracks the RC5-64 bit code, you win $1000 and your team gets $1000. (Or you get $2k if you are not on a team.) The Seti@home project is a little more ethereal. If you win, you will have been the person responsible for detecting a radio signal from an Alien civilization. I don't really need a cash prize to get on that bandwagon.

[Nathan]

Hi Skywalker!

They broke the 128 encryption code a while back.

800XL

Interesting. There is something I don't like about it. I can't put my finger on it.

[socalgal]

I didn't know that Nathan, but not I'm really surprised either. Do you have a link w/more info about that 128-bit crack?

[cal]

Just what are these organizations trying to do or what are they checking or what they are cracking. I don't understand what there final result tells them

[Nathan]

Hi Socalgal!

No I don't have a site for it.

1. If it a rule, someone will break it.

2. If there's a speech, someone won't listen.

3. If there's a code, someone will break it.

4. If there's a sign, they won't obey it.

What can you do?

[MadMax]

cal~ go to http://www.distributed.net and read about the projects.

Nathan~Why are you so paranoid about "access" to your computer. Just surfing leaves your computer more vulnerable to attack than dumping and retrieving key packets. Besides, your disgruntled employee going postal scenario could just as easily happen at your ISP. Ever think about that?

And I don't want to start any flaming but your list is a joke. Sure, there are always exceptions but most people (99%) live by the rules most of the time. If what you listed was the rule, rather than the exception, chaos would be the order of everyday. And I don't consider a 10 minute traffic jam chaos.

Have faith, my friend. The world ain't all bad. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

[Zacko10000]

Ok, Nathan, a scientific cause, a huge internet project, both have over 100000 people involved (I know Seti@home has about 400000+, don't know actual stats for RC5) now why would they want to hack into your computer and steal your personal information? They wouldn't Seti@Home was even featured on ABC News one day, and if it were somekind of scam or ploy people would know. Both causes are absolutely safe, I'm sure. There is a bigger risk when posting a message here then using your CPU for one of these causes, as long as you download the client from the original sites!
You don't use your computer at times so you might as well use it for a good cause...

One side note, SETI@Home does have one reward...in a sense. if you did recieve the ET Radio Signal, most likly you would win the Noble Prize, along with the SETI scientists who started the experiment and would split the money with them.

[Nathan]

You all might think I paranoid, but I think I'm just cautious.

MrEd.

I think you've been watching too much TV! What does Dana think about this? LOL And what's Rod Serling take on this?

Madmax.

I don't think you're flaming. I asked for opinions and I'm getting them. That's all. Now with your other scenerios, they might be correct. However, not knowing anything about this whole setup, it just makes me wonder about it. I've have other tech people relay to me the same feelings I have, which really prompted me to check into it some. Which prompted the question here.

Sure my list is a joke. In part that's what it's suppose to be. But there's some truth to it. That list was mainly aimed at the code that was broken. There is nothing that is safe. But on the other hand, I don't lay awake at night and lose sleep over it nor do I fret over it everytime I'm on the net. And yes, I look positively at my fellow man/woman. But I deal with some security issues that the average person doesn't do or know about. Unfortunately, I can't say what it is. And not that it really matters here either.

I understand and respect what you are saying and what you mean by it. And I mean that to all who gave their opinion!

Zacko10000.

I'm not saying this is the case with this story, but the TV shows have a tendency to twist the stories to make the point they want to make. I've seen it done so many times, I don't bother watching them anymore. I can go on and on about it, but this is a tech support forum, not for political or social views.

I do find it, shall I say, kind of funny about the ET part of it. But Zacko10000, this is a passionate subject for many users who are totally behind it. And if they want to do it, go for it. Just post the picture of the Nobel prize when/if you win it. And that's another story as to how that's funded too. Quite interesting if I might say so.

So thanks to those who posted about the subject.

[This message has been edited by Nathan (edited 06-02-99).]

[MrEd]

Well, just got off the phone with my buddy Fox Mulder. He tells me that Bill Gates is from another planet, and has infiltrated our systems with the most malicious program ever created (Windows).The reason for the updates is to keep the public constantly financing his cause (To take over and destroy Earth. The RC5 and SETI@home (among others) are all ways for him check to see who is infected,and who is'nt. If you're not, he sends out his spooks to make you dissapear, so everyone should have windows to safe.

http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[Virus]

Sorry to have to keep this thread alive.

But the distribued client does pass some information about your computer. It sends general cpu (intel,alpha,powerpc) info, general os (win,linux,dos) info, your ip, host domain, client version, and email address (the one set in the client). That could be seen as an invasion. But, that is general info that is sent whenever you browse the web.

If microsoft was behind d.net. They would have a more upto date win32 client version and it would bloat to three times it's present size. They would also need a bigger pipe to send all your information through.

As for windows 98 (after you register). It sends all kinds of info about you and your hardware (and I am sure software too) to microsoft. And it adds information to the end of microsoft created files (word,excel,etc). That they use to track where you have been (on the web) and what you have done. Information that they say will not be used against you in any way, shape, or form. As if you would believe them after trying to slip this by you.

So the moto of my post is. If you can (some how) trust Uncle Bill you can trust distant Cusin RC5.

If anyone want's to join or is all ready a member of rc5 cause. Use the Sysopt/Tweakit PProxy at 24.72.9.177 (http://24.72.9.177) .

Yes it does send the information listed above (in the d.net section). Which is then released into stats that the whole world could see. But you get to see how you compare to your fellow members.

To join set the proxy sever in the client to use 24.72.9.177 with port 8080.

[Zacko10000]

Didn't Microsoft use the tracking number on a word document to help find who was responsible for the Melissa virus...