Dersgniw
Disco Crunchin
Premium,MVM
join:2001-08-10
behind you
clubs:
 ·Optimum Online
1 edit | [TDPH] Project Hope Chairman's Report - Time for change! 
Hello Team Discovery! I'd like to update everyone on the status and hopeful plans of our Project Hope!
We certainly have some very good news. We are currently in the best shape we have been in a very long time. This project started in August of 2003 and we now have all nineteen of our blades up and running. We also have close to $300 in the bank and 8 blades that are enjoying retired life. We now have two brand new blazing fast machines (Athlon x64 x2 5200+) and quite a few lean and mean machines (that aren't quite as fast.)
Project Hope is now our #1 TSC cruncher and #18 WCG cruncher. I am so proud to be part of our group that has achieved so much. Team Discovery's generosity, compassion, determination and resolve to find a cure is responsible for Project Hope's success.
While we have hit a great height, I believe we have also plateaued which is why the Project Hope board has been in long discussions about making some exciting changes. As expected, some of our blades are getting a tad old and not so easy to maintain when things go wrong. So, we've been discussing replacing these blades. We've been finding some incredible deals on pre-built servers - QUAD servers. For example, there was a Dell Q6600 quad that could be purchased with 2 gigs of Ram for just over $500. This deal is over, but there are sure to be more in the future. We couldn't build a machine for this price with these specs, especially when you add in the cost of an operating systems (or the mental cost of having to use a copy of Win 98 because we're penny pinching) and that of course comes with a hard drive (that won't fry after 6 months). Also it removes the challenge of assembling blades which has caused MANY a headache. So, the board has discussed this and we believe it would be a good idea to have an option to purchase blades when deals like this arise.
What's the big deal with these quads you may ask. Will it really make a difference you ask. Well, something like this quad would physically replace two older blades and would out-perform them close to 10 fold. For comparison's sake, Lisa's shiny new quad averages 1,300 credits (RAC, not points) per day. The Athlon X2's we built recently average 623 credits per day. Our older blades average between 100 and 150 credits per day. This is not about stats or ranking, it's about amount of work done. One new blades would be almost as good as TEN of our older blades. That's a lot of cancer cure crunching right there! It will also save our hosts headaches and hopefully a little bit of electricity!
Now, you're surely asking yourself, "What about those old blades? What will we do with them?" Great question! The board discussed giving them to charity, auctioning them off in a TDPH raffle, using them as art, selling them here on DSLR, and selling them on ebay. Looking at similar items on ebay, it looks like we could (might) get upwards to $100 each. I think the board agreed that selling here would be our best bet. Start here and if it doesn't sell, go to Ebay. We're looking for your input here as well.
We also would like to change how we handle the purchase of new blades. We have typically voted on components and then purchased. This has always taken weeks and weeks and weeks. If someone finds a great deal on a hot blade and it's a limited time sale, I think it is in the project's best interest to be able to consider that! What we would like to do is make this process considerably quicker when needed. But, I don't want to make a purchase without TDPH membership's input. So, I'd like to see a process where the Board can make a purchase after informing the membership and allowing a reasonable amount of discussion and if time allows, a vote. The vote would ideally be 24 hours, but could be less. We still would need a majority of the board members to ok the purchase. I think we've always been very concerned with getting the most bang for the buck and this will definitely allow us to follow this tradition. I don't want to jump on a deal just because it looks good. I still want discussion on new crunchers and I want very careful due diligence. That cannot be sacrificed.
Finally, we don't have much money. So, assuming the members agree with this new direction, it's time for a giveaway raffle! We think it would be great to be able to replace 6 blades. That would mean 3 new machines. So, we'll be setting a goal of around $1800 which should easily cover 3 new blades.
To concisely conclude our future goals:
•Replace older blades with quads
•Purchase pre-built machines
•Expedite the purchase process
•Raise funds to purchase 3 new blades
What we need to do next:
First, the articles of association and bylaws have been drafted with new wording and can be found here - »www.tdprojecthope.com/forum/inde···opic=924 These need to be voted upon. I'd like any discussion on the new bylaws to be in that link above. If everything goes well, we'll have a vote.
Also, please air out your thoughts on what to do with retired, but working blades. Additionally, we'd like to hear your thoughts on purchasing pre-built computers as well as allowing expedited purchases. This can all be done in this link »www.tdprojecthope.com/forum/inde···opic=924 as well.
Then, we RAISE MONEY and buy some big, bad, cancer curing blades!
Thank you everyone for making this project such a great success! |
