For more information about BOINC and how you can participate:
http://boinc.berkeley.edu/
Abstract:
Here is my retro BOINC processor farm that I've built using an assemblage of old, vintage hardware that I've repaired and/or retrofitted and interfaced to work as a complete system in the style of an old 1980s mainframe.
It runs BOINC tasks 24/7, under BOINC username MossyRock.
All vintage hardware that has been retrofitted or re-purposed were badly damaged, non-functional, and unwanted units destined for the scrappers/recyclers. These items now have a new life for a productive purpose. Any salvageable parts have been retained and/or sent to a computer museum for their future restoration efforts.
The actual computer systems inside are a variety of modern machines, running Windows 10 and Ubuntu. There is currently one processor node, a Ryzen 7 1700 system, with a design allowance for five more nodes.
Arduino microprocessors continually receive real-time system status and drive the lights on the system console keyboard unit. This shows the overall system status at a glance.
The system operator console UI (user interface) is a subsystem that I wrote to give the look and feel of an actual IBM mainframe console from the 1980s. Operator command syntax and displayed output is based on that of IBM's MVS and VSE.
Why did I make this? It's because I didn't want a BOINC processor farm with boring black boxes in a rack. I've also always wanted a mainframe in my basement, and I wanted it to do something useful.
A few words about BOINC. BOINC is a huge, world-wide group of scientists, researchers, programmers, and most importantly, volunteer processors ("crunchers") who donate their unused computer time to help make the world a better place by solving some of humanity's biggest problems - disease, hunger, climate change, and more.
You can even help with science endeavors such as searching for extraterrestrial intelligence ("SETI"), mapping the universe, finding neutron stars in LIGO data, and much more. Whatever science you're into, there is project for you.
Acknowledgements:
Thanks to all my friends and contacts listed at the end of the video who helped me make this dream become a reality!
Business links:
Aaron Sperry, Angry Goat Studios, Belfair, WA
3D drafting, design development and fabrication
http://www.angrygoatstudios.com/
Dale Cavanaugh, Versatilemachining.com, Bainbridge Island, WA
Precision machining and prototyping services
http://versatilemachining.com/
Music:
"Divider" by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License:
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Source: http://chriszabriskie.com/divider
Artist: http://chriszabriskie.com
"The Stratosphere" by Adam Vitovsky is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license:
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Source: http://www.adamvitovsky.com/stratosphere
Artist: http://www.adamvitovsky.com
Changes to the song have been made.
