> >
> > I agree this is a good idea, although the 7-day grace period
> may be a little
> > drastic. But even reducing that just from 60 to 30 days (along
> with a 7-day
> > default check in) would release abandoned exponents in 37 days
> instead of
> > 88. This would recycle them more than twice as fast, greatly
> enhancing the
> > odds of someone eventually getting the assignment who will
> actually finish
> > it.
>
> The downside is that there would probably be a great increase in the
> number of assignments which are still running but don't complete
> before the expiry date. Clearly there is a balance to be struck
> somewhere, but 7 days seems to me to be _ludicrously_ short.
>
> In fact, as assignments take progressively longer to run, the "grace
> period" should be extending, rather than contracting.
>
> We should also bear in mind the very valuable contributions made by
> those people who do not have permanent (or near-permanent) network
> connections, and those people who are using clients without the
> PrimeNet communication protocol. Requirement to check in frequently
> is off-putting to these people. (Some would put it a lot stronger
> than that!) I don't think we want to risk driving these people out of
> the project.
I have said nothing about not being able to set a longer period,
just set the default one low!
> > As others have mentioned, the problem is NOT slow machines but
> > rather abandoned exponents, which has nothing to do with machine speeds.
>
> I fail to see how reducing the check-in interval would have any
> impact on the "problem". Those people who are checking in every 28
> days aren't running into the 60-day expiry deadline.
The reduction of the default check-in interval would recycle the exponents
quicker of people grabbing but not testing exponents.
> The 60 day expiry value is a server parameter, not a client
> parameter. In any case, as I explained above, I think that a drastic
> reduction in the value would be dangerous.
Certainly not for first time assignments, the results are re-used as double
checks right away. People with non frequent contact could put their time
between
check ins up. (could we let the grace period be the same as the time set
between
check ins on the client with a minimum of 7 days?)
> Might I suggest a couple of alternative approaches. Both of these
> would require the identification of exponents which are "seriously
> lagging" - perhaps the 100 smallest outstanding LL and the 100
> smallest outstanding DC assignments.
>
> (1) Removing these assignments from PrimeNet and managing them
> seperately. Anyone who is prepared to make special arrangements to
> acquire these assignments is unlikely to default by reason of lack of
> commitment.
Seems reasonable, see proposal on bottom (which saves the 100 smalles checks
needed)
> (2) Alternatively, awarding double PrimeNet CPU time credit for the
> completion of these assignments. The downside to this is that, as
> well as requiring changes to the server software, recycled "small"
> exponents would have to be released at random times of the day, to
> prevent them being systematically "grabbed" by a few users.
Will not work, someone working on a exponent is always good (also if he/she
takes a year)
Someone who will forget about their exponent and not check in will not care
if he/she would
have gotten double points for these assignments.
Now the next proposal:
Let Primenet reassign automatically only exponents with a exp date < -5.
Make it possible that a user can explicitly request an exponent with an exp
date between -0.1 and -5. (Primenet could have 2 reactions ok (and the list
gets
updated at the next hour) or not ok (exponent not expired
(yet/anymore)/exponent has been
checked in))
Primenet is already able to assign unassigned specific exponenents to
someone.
(Just try to send an update on a unreserved exponent, you will be listed)
When trying to check in a status on an reserved exponent you will get an
error message.
I just do not know how it exactly works with recycling expired exponents.
Most of the time
they come aroun 6:00 status time, but sometimes the come really bulky at
"random" times.
This makes it possible for the people that want to "hunt" the holes to hunt
those holes.
Maybe we could also update the client to not accept exponents it will work
on for longer
than lets say 2 years, and then let the client get another type of
assignment automatically.
Kind regards, Martijn
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