Does not having the latest client have any negative effect?

[Sarr]

Currently have been running it on and off for awhile since installing it on my main desktop a few years ago. In the System Info tab on the client control app it says it is version 7.5.1. I am still getting work units and crunching numbers constantly (unless the work unit shortage interferes of course). I saw there was a new client released today and I realized it had been a while since mine was updated. Is there any negative effect, on the science being done, points per day, efficiency, etc. to staying on an old client? I ask because I remember tinkering around with drivers for awhile to first get the GPU working properly. If there isn't anything wrong with having the old client, I'll leave it as is so I don't have to bother with that again.

[PantherX]

Welcome to the F@H Forum Sarr,

It is encouraged to update to the new version of the client for various reasons: https://foldingathome.org/2020/04/17/ne ... -projects/

However, there no new version of FahCore which is the piece of software which does the actual folding. Thus, there will not be any difference in the folding performance of your system.

[Rel25917]

Shouldn't have much effect, Covid was added as a cause you can choose but that is pretty much the only thing being assigned anyway. Other than that just some bug fixes really. The parts doing the science remain unchanged. The client is just downloading and uploading work and managing slots. Since you have the drivers figured out already upgrading the client shouldn't be an issue.

[Sarr]

I don't care about the Covid19 priority option, I prefer to leave it as any disease so that any and all work that is in the system gets done. With all the new people joining wanting to do the Covid19 work units, I don't think there will be any shortage of computers working on them. If the update has important bug fixes then I guess I'd better go and get it.

[Mark12547]

I prefer to leave it as any disease so that any and all work that is in the system gets done.

From viewtopic.php?f=7&t=32463

2. Can I choose to work only on the COVID-19 related projects ?
No, you can't.
In FoldingHome, you never choose to work on only one project (or family of projects). The setting described above is a preference, but if no work is available to match your preferences, the system is designed to send you what need to be done at the time of your work request.

In other words, if you pick "COVID-19" for "I support research fighting..." in the Web application or "COVID-19" the "Cause Preference" in the FAHControl application, once the COVID-19 WUs are all handed out, your machine will get WUs from other projects. Once there are more WUs for COVID-19 available, then your machine will get those COVID-19 WUs.

So your machine will do useful work as long as there are WUs that can run on your machine.