FAH is the weirdest piece of software I ever installed

[Napoleon]

Well, if any of the FAH clients really is the weirdest piece of SW you ever installed - or have to install - count yourself lucky. Very, very lucky.

I, for one, actually prefer the console clients. While my rig is running 24/7 for my personal convenience, it isn't dedicated to folding, so some fancy viewer/GUI would be a waste of my somewhat limited computing resources, no matter how efficiently it is coded. When I'm at my computer, I'm there to do something that's useful or entertaining to me, not to watch some pretty picture/animation/screensaver/whatever that is even less meaningful to me than the %1 progress indicator. That is to say, I don't have a clue about molecular biology, I'm simply convinced that the meager CPU cycles I'm contributing to FAH are for a good cause. If I were not, it certainly would take a lot more than some flashy visual aid to convince me otherwise. I'm not obsessed about PPD either, as long as the points system gives some ballpark figure of what is the most efficient way to contribute to this particular brand of science.

If I were a worrying type, I might worry about security and privacy. Then again, I can run at least the uniprocessor console client(s) on a dedicated account with extremely limited access rights. If I were into conspiracy theories, I might worry about biological weapons being developed behind the FAH do-gooder veneer, or that the (published) results could be used for such purposes. A FAH viewer and its quality, or lack thereof, is a non-issue in my book.

Seriously, there's a lot of free software out there whose authors choose not to go for open source. That's their prerogative, I'm just content to use it for something I consider worthwhile. My browser is free SW (not IE I might add), so is my antivirus program etc. I consider them reliable and useful, even though the authors do not make the source code publicly available. So far, I haven't had any reason to treat FAH differently. Personally, I find it a convenient excuse for running my rig 24/7 and putting it to the best possible use all of the time, instead of trying to compete with treehuggers and wasting time and energy in constant shutdowns, boots, suspends and wakeups.

[v00d00]

I use Linux and fold Nvidia GPU. I also have to force_gpu, but it works, thats all that matters.

When i read this thread it looked like someone trolling. The more i read, the more obvious it became.

The software is as it is. It wont change, and tbh i dont want it to change. It works fine for me, and a load of other people. All i want is stability. I dont care about pretty pictures scrolling on screens, nor do i care to look at the code. Now if you want to look at the code i believe the correct route is to apply to do a PhD in something related to folding, as part of VJ's team, then you can play with the code as much as you want. Personally i dont think it will ever happen, your attitude sucks too much.

If you want to write some new protein viewer, well someone pointed out where that is. Maybe you will get a little fame if you complete that task, who knows.

But if at the end of it, all you want to do is bitch and moan, then uninstall and leave us to get on with folding (in peace).

[guest3412]

I installed the systray version first and was massively unimpressed, - followed by a prompt uninstall. I gave it a week and decided to go on a hunt, found the console version, many people call it pure software, more for the geeky folders, whatever I like it because it's simple, I get to see the progress in line code, no stupid ugly viewer, I can put it anywhere on my computer and run it, nothing to uninstall, simply move or delete the folder. Only one thing I can think of about the console version I don't care for, I can't move it to the systray when minimized.. but that's very minimal.

[Zagen30]

I installed the systray version first and was massively unimpressed, - followed by a prompt uninstall. I gave it a week and decided to go on a hunt, found the console version, many people call it pure software, more for the geeky folders, whatever I like it because it's simple, I get to see the progress in line code, no stupid ugly viewer, I can put it anywhere on my computer and run it, nothing to uninstall, simply move or delete the folder. Only one thing I can think of about the console version I don't care for, I can't move it to the systray when minimized.. but that's very minimal.

Try a program called TrayIt. I've never used it, but supposedly it does exactly what you're looking for.

[guest3412]

Wow yeah it worked and all in one tray icon too! Uses minimal resources - 7.2m thanks zagen!

[PantherX]

Well, personally, I prefer to keep the Console Windows maximized so I can view the Client performance at a glance. I use WindowsPager v0.90 and my last desktop has both Console windows open, HFM.NET, Task Manager. The other 3 desktops are free to use. You can increase and decrease the desktops but that is your choice.

[pmasley]

v00d00, I felt the same as I read the first part of the thread. I pictured a little age 12 snot nose who has a daddy's bank account and no life. The more I read, the more apparent it became, but not the age, but arrogance of the "Mine, Buy Me, I Want It Now, Time Out Generation." I still feel that way and it sure sucks to be him. What a way to live and start out on a forum. So what that the main code is not open source. he will find out in life that there is going to be a lot of items that are not his for the tear apart and deeper inspection. I sure hopes his attitude does not apply to his companion.

I have had my problems with FAH and yeah, I bitched and moaned about it. I still have one that I have not been able to solve, but did it run me away? NO! I have driven bruce, 7im and a few others crazy, but in doing a little research on my own and with help from the fanatics here, I found a work around.

I am not exavtly sure what the work on my end will contribute, but if it leads another scientist not even involved with this group a cure for one of our dreaded diseases, then I feel my contribution is well worth it. Actually, I started my sessions as a contribution for a friend who lost his wife to cancer.

[Napoleon]

Sysinternals Desktops is also quite nice and lightweight. Very basic for a virtual desktop utility, but gives me exactly what I need to hide client(s), HFM.NET and the like, and nothing more. Only 2MB Commit Size on my Windows 7 64bit Ultimate with all 4 Desktops created.

[v00d00]

If you are running console on windows, why not run it as a service and use a 3rd party app for monitoring?