Test4Theory Project news:

Reset the virtual machines

Dear all,

We have released a new Co-Pilot that can be tested by rebooting/resetting the virtual machine. This new version should improve the action of requesting an output directory, solving some of the issues reported by you (thanks for your help!!).

You can also help us debugging the new code reporting any error or issue related to the output request folder action on this thread, after rebooting/resetting the VM.

Thanks in advance,

Daniel Lombraña González
Artem Harutyunyan

Project scientists

Comment: here

http://boinc01.cern.ch/test4theory/
http://boinc01.cern.ch/test4theory/forum_thread.php?id=423

Test4Theory Project news:

New Virtual Machine released

Dear all,

We are very happy to announce a new version of the virtual machine: 2.4.0.

This new virtual machine comes with the new version of Co-Pilot plus some other enhancements that should improve the stability of the project.

In order to test the new virtual machine, you can cancel your running work unit or wait to its completion. Bear in mind that the queue had some work units with the old version, so you may not get the first time the new virtual machine.

Regards,

Daniel Lombraña González

Project scientist

Comment: here

http://boinc01.cern.ch/test4theory/
http://boinc01.cern.ch/test4theory/forum_thread.php?id=429

People with bandwidth cap imposed upon them by their ISP, be warned.
At present the T4T project requires an always-on, uninterrupted, continuous internet connection. This is why you can't use a Proxy.

However, at this moment the project won't follow the BOINC "Transfer at most" network preferences either, or any other network activity preferences (time-of-day, suspend). This is because the vboxwrapper that the project is using can not yet communicate the network activity settings from BOINC to the VBox Manager and vice versa.

The BOINC developers are looking for an urgent solution to this problem, also on request of the project administrators.

So if you have a bandwidth cap imposed on you by your ISP, do not use T4T for the moment. All the time that the VirtualBox program is running, it will have a connection to the CERN server, asking for work, or receiving and sending data. It could cost you.

I'll let know (here) when the new vboxwrapper with the fix for this problem is in use by the project.

---

The project attachment URL has changed to http://lhcathome2.cern.ch/test4theory/, even though their front page states differently. Always nice that the project changes the attach to URL without much of a warning or agreement on their own pages!

---

Test4Theory Project news:

Posted: 10 Oct 2011 10:59:54 UTC

Graphics Application preview!!

Dear all,

We are very happy to show you the first working version of the graphics application
that will show the progress of the simulations in the virtual machine.

In this Youtube video the graphics application shows live histograms from the running experiments
within the virtual machine, so you can see the actual progress of the simulated events and how they look like.

We hope to have a stable version soon, so stay tuned!!

Regards,
Daniel Lombraña González
Project scientist

Comment: here

http://lhcathome2.cern.ch/test4theory/index.php

http://lhcathome2.cern.ch/test4theory/forum_thread.php?id=493

I'd rather that they update their (back-end) server software and wrapper application, as they promised they'd do when Daniel was back, since these will fix a bucket load of bugs.

Of course, they won't be using the wrapper applications that are available. No, they will want to build their own and test those internally first, before throwing them out onto our plates. This will mean though that a lot of the bugs that are there at this time, will still be there when they release their new wrapper app, since the project will not have all code-fixes included in their new wrapper.

One wonders why the BOINC devs spend time on adding code-fixes when these won't be used anyway by the only project that's using the virtual machine software at this time. ;-)

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Test4Theory Project news:

Dear all,

If you have the chance to visit the 2011 Frankfurt Book Fair of 2011 this weekend, you will have the opportunity to visit the CERN stand (with information about LHC@Home) and attend a press conference about the Large Hadron Collider from the Director-General of CERN.

Hey! if you take some photos, share them with us!!!

Cheers,
Daniel

Daniel Lombraña González
Project scientist

http://lhcathome2.cern.ch/test4theory/index.php

http://lhcathome2.cern.ch/test4theory/forum_thread.php?id=494

Test4Theory Project news:
from their: Main Front page:

Daniel Lombraña González
(Project scientist) - wrote:

Dear all,
We are very happy to announce that a new version of the wrapper has been released!!
The new version has several major improvements:

• Windows Registry access has been improved.
  
• Graceful error handling: several tries before canceling WU.
  
• CernVM Graphics application support. The graphics application has to be tested a bit more before releasing it.
  

In order to get the new version you can wait until your running WU finishes,
or you cancel it and get the new one if you do not mind the credits.
Please, as usual, let us know any problems with this new version in the forums.

Cheers,
Daniel

Daniel Lombraña González
Project scientist

http://lhcathome2.cern.ch/test4theory/index.php

http://lhcathome2.cern.ch/test4theory/forum_thread.php?id=505

some more Test4Theory Project news
from their:Main Front page:

Google+1 and Twitter buttons for news!!
Dear all,
Since yesterday we have included the Google +1 Button and the Twitter buttons to promote Test4theory
in those social networks. Thus if you like one new, just click the button!

Regards,
The team!

Open to new members by invitation.
Click the following link for details.
http://lhcathome2.cern.ch/test4theory/index.php

Test4Theory Project news:
from their: Main Front page:

Daniel Lombraña González
(Project scientist) - wrote:

Upgrading the BOINC server

The 25th of October (7:00 am UTC) we will start to upgrade the BOINC server to the latest available version of BOINC.
The goal is to fix several errors of the server (i.e. credit cheating), as well as to benefit from new Virtual Machine features included in BOINC.
Therefore, since tomorrow morning 7:00 a.m. UTC the server will be in maintenance mode. Sorry for the inconveniences.

Regards,

Project scientist
Daniel Lombraña González

http://lhcathome2.cern.ch/test4theory/forum_thread.php?id=534

http://lhcathome2.cern.ch/test4theory/index.php

Test4Theory Project news:
from their: Main Front page:

Daniel Lombraña González
(Project scientist) - wrote:

Dear all,

The server upgrade has been completed.

With the upgrade, we have included a new navigation bar, so it should be easier to browse the project.
If you think that something is missing, please, let us know!

Regards,

Daniel Lombraña González
Project scientist

Open to new members by invitation.
Click the following link for details.
http://lhcathome2.cern.ch/test4theory/index.php

Test4Theory Project news:
from their: Main Front page:

Daniel Lombraña González
(Project scientist) - wrote:

Dear all,
We are very happy to announce a new release of the wrapper!
This new version has the following improvements:

• New logic for starting/stopping the VM (it should remove the double read registry problem).
  
• BOINC clients only receive a task if the user has VirtualBox installed, instead of crashing the WU.
  
• Due to this requirement, instead of trying to grab the VirtualBox installation path via Windows Registry, the wrapper checks if the default location: C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox, exists; else it will try to read the Windows Registry. This method should reduce Windows Registry problems.
  
• New GNU/Linux 64 bits wrapper client. Please, if you want to test it, stop your 32 bit BOINC client, and try the new one.
  

As usual, any comments, failures, suggestions will be welcome!

Regards,

Daniel Lombraña González
Project scientist

Open to new members by invitation:
Click the following link for details:
http://lhcathome2.cern.ch/test4theory/index.php

Test4Theory Project news:

Here is some more information for those of you who have a passion for Physics,
and would like to attach to: LHC@home 2.0 - (AKA Test4Theory)
So if you want to try the project and help debugging it,
you first need invitation code, and here is how you get that:

Daniel Lombraña González
Project scientist
Wrote:

We've recovered from the initial tsunami of volunteer support last month – thanks, everyone, for your enthusiasm and patience! So now Test4Theory is opening gradually to new volunteers using invitation codes.
If you want to test the project, please, sign up for an invite!
If the number of requests remains very high, we won't be able to accommodate everyone, so we'll be picking users randomly each week and sending them invitation codes – an invitation lottery. Thus, if you want to try the project and help debugging it. sign up and good luck!

Regards,

Daniel Lombraña González
Project scientist

http://lhcathome2.cern.ch/test4theory/index.php

the invitation code is no longer necessary for joining the project.

Daniel Lombraña González
Project scientist
Wrote:

We have finally reached a point where the system seems to be very stable (thanks to all the volunteers that have collaborated!), so we are opening up Test4Theory again: the invitation code is no longer necessary for joining the project.

Please, remember that this project is still in beta, and we may close the registration if we detect a problem due to a large influx of new volunteers.

Thanks for your understanding!

Daniel Lombraña González
Project scientist

http://lhcathome2.cern.ch/test4theory/index.php

Daniel Lombraña González
Project scientist
Wrote:

Upgrade BOINC client to version >= 6.12.34
In the last days we have upgraded the server to benefit from some of the new features related to virtual machines included in the BOINC server. The BOINC client has been also improved with new features for virtual machines and we want to test them (detection of VirtualBox, installation, etc.), for this reason we want you to upgrade to the latest stable version of the BOINC client. Meanwhile, we will add more WUs for the old BOINC clients, so you can keep working with the project. However, we will be moving forward gradually to the latest stable versions of BOINC as this will help everyone to have a more stable work flow, so if you can, upgrade your BOINC client. You should start getting WU for older BOINC clients right now. I have seen some of them already delivered to some users. In any case, please, upgrade your BOINC client as soon as possible.

Regards,

Daniel Lombraña González
Project scientist

http://lhcathome2.cern.ch/test4theory/index.php

Test4Theory (AKA LHC@home 2.0) NEWS
29 Nov 2011 | 15:15:24 UTC

Daniel Lombraña González
Project scientist
Wrote:

Dear all,

Write down the following date in your agenda: the 16th of December of 2011 at 12.00 noon (Geneva time) we will be hanging out with you using Google+ Hangouts.

Google+ Hangouts is a live video where 10 people can video-chat directly from their browsers. In this Google+ Hangout you will have the chance to meet some of the developers and researchers of the project in person and more importantly: to talk with them.

If you want to meet us, ask us questions about the future of the project, complain about why is failing so much (we are still in beta ;D ), etc. you will only need a Google+ account (they are free!) and visit Daniel Lombraña González profile page (he will be the host). Then the 16th of December you will see in your stream (if you have added him to your circles) or in Daniel's public profile that Daniel has started a hangout and that you can join it. Remember only the first 10 persons will be able to join (sorry, maximum capacity set by Google).

Regards,

Daniel Lombraña González
Project scientist

29 Nov 2011 | 15:15:24 UTC

Comment

http://lhcathome2.cern.ch/test4theory/index.php

Test4Theory (AKA LHC@home 2.0) NEWS
3 Jan 2012 | 13:26:28 UTC

Daniel Lombraña González
Project scientist
Wrote:

Evaluating and stimulating learning and creativity in projects like T4T

Hi!

I'd like your feedback on the following idea.

With colleagues at the Citizen Cyberscience Centre, we are preparing a proposal for an EC project to evaluate and stimulate learning and creativity in citizen cyberscience projects.

Basically, volunteers like you do a lot of great work in projects like T4T. Sometimes what you do is very creative. And by participating, some of you also learn new skills.

So the idea is to find ways to measure and validate your creative contributions and your learning, and improve the software that allows you to do that. For example, this could be by introducing transferable badges or other forms of 'education credit' that could be used more widely – maybe even transferred to University credits or used in CVs in some cases.

What do you think of that idea?

Just so you know, we'd like to include any useful feedback in the proposal, to illustrate that volunteers actually care about this sort of issue and have good ideas and suggestions about how to handle it.

Thanks in advance!

Daniel Lombraña González
Project scientist

3 Jan 2012 | 13:26:28 UTC

Comment

http://boinc01.cern.ch/test4theory/

Test4Theory (AKA LHC@home 2.0) NEWS
13 Jan 2012

Daniel Lombraña González
Project scientist
Wrote:

Dear all,

We have been working pretty hard to give you an interesting tool to see what is going on in your virtual machine. Nowadays everything is web based and with the introduction of HTML5, new exciting and high end applications are blooming every day.
In T4T we love these technologies as they are open source and widely spread in modern, free and open source web browsers like Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome.
For these reasons, we have created a web application that will be installed in the virtual machine BOINC_VM and that will allow you to see the progress of the experiments from the comfort of your web browser.
We have a demo and live site where you can see the web application, and play with it. As you will see the web application will give you direct access to the simulations, and also some information about your BOINC credit and stats. You will have access also to all the LOGs, so sharing feedback about bugs in Co-Pilot, the experiments, etc. it will be easier than ever: you will be able to copy and paste text directly from the VM, no more screenshots!
The application is open source, so feel free to download it, modify it, etc. and give us feedback in the issues repository or this thread.
We hope you like it, as we are really very happy with it.

Best Regards,
The team!

PS: next week you will see this in your next work unit, so stay tuned!!

http://boinc01.cern.ch/test4theory/

Test4Theory (AKA LHC@home 2.0) NEWS
18 Jan 2012 | 16:16:43 UTC

Daniel Lombraña González
Project scientist
Wrote:

Dear all,

Due to all the last problems that we are having with the latest wrapper, we decided to follow your advise and give you the opportunity to choose if you want to run or not multi-core work units.
Right now the multi-core feature is disabled for everyone, so your next work unit will have only one core. If you want to run two core WUs, and you have enabled in your BIOS the virtualization extensions, go to the project preferences, and change the answer to this question from yes to no: Use only one single core?
If you were having problems with the multi-core feature this should fix your problems, as by default now you have to ask the project to give you jobs for two cores. This will help all the users with a multi-core processor but without the VT extensions or those with VT extensions but disabled in the BIOS.
As usual, let us know if this is failing for you.

Best regards,
Daniel Lombraña González
Project scientist

http://boinc01.cern.ch/test4theory/