Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
BOINC

BOINC Manager Simple View
Developer(s)	University of California, Berkeley
Initial release	10 April 2002; 23 years ago (2002-04-10)
Stable release	7.24.1 Windows 12 August 2023; 21 months ago (2023-08-12) 7.24.2 macOS 29 October 2023; 19 months ago (2023-10-29) 7.22.2 Linux 19 July 2022; 2 years ago (2022-07-19) 7.24.1 Android 12 August 2023; 21 months ago (2023-08-12)
Written in	C++ (client/server) PHP (project CMS) Java/Kotlin (Android client)
Operating system	Windows macOS Linux Android FreeBSD Raspberry Pi OS
Type	Grid computing and volunteer computing
License	LGPL-3.0-or-later Project licensing varies

BOINC Manager Advanced View shows many projects working together.

BOINC (pronounced "boink", like "oink") stands for Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing. It's a special computer program that lets you use your computer's spare power to help scientists. Think of it like lending your computer's brain to big research projects.

Scientists need a lot of computing power for their work. BOINC helps them by connecting many personal computers around the world. This way, they can solve huge problems much faster than with just one supercomputer.

BOINC was first made to help with a project called SETI@home. This project searched for signs of life in space. Since then, BOINC has grown to help many other science areas. These include medicine, biology, math, climate studies, and even space research.

A group at the University of California, Berkeley created BOINC. It was led by David P. Anderson. Many people around the world use BOINC. As of November 2021, over 34,000 people were helping with more than 136,000 computers. Together, they had a lot of processing power. This power was like having one of the world's biggest supercomputers!

BOINC works on many types of computers. This includes Microsoft Windows, macOS, Android phones, Linux, and FreeBSD. It's also free software, which means anyone can use and change it.

How BOINC Started: A Brief History

BOINC was first created to help the SETI@home project. This project used computers to listen for messages from outer space. David P. Anderson chose the name "BOINC" because he wanted something light and catchy.

The first SETI program was not very secure. Some people tried to trick the system to get more "credits." They even sent in fake results. BOINC was designed to fix these problems and make sure the results were real.

The BOINC project began in February 2002. The first version was released on April 10, 2002. The first project to use BOINC was Predictor@home in 2004. Over the years, BOINC has added new features. For example, it learned to use graphics cards (GPUs) to do calculations even faster.

Today, there are many BOINC projects. Some are on the official list, and others are run independently. Every year, people who manage BOINC projects meet to share ideas.

How BOINC Works: Design and Structure

BOINC is a program that uses the unused power of your computer's main processor (CPU) and graphics card (GPU). It helps with scientific calculations. In 2008, BOINC started using special technology from NVIDIA. This allowed projects like MilkyWay@home and SETI@home to run much faster.

Later, BOINC also added support for AMD and Intel graphics cards. Using GPUs can make calculations 2 to 10 times faster than using only the CPU.

BOINC has two main parts:

• A server system: This is where the science projects live. It sends out small tasks to your computer.
• Client software: This is the program you install on your computer. It receives tasks, does the calculations, and sends the results back to the server.

Using BOINC on Your Phone

There's also a BOINC app for Android phones and tablets. This means you can share your phone's unused power too! You can choose which research projects you want to help.

The app usually only works when your device is:

• Connected to Wi-Fi.
• Charging.
• Has at least 90% battery.

You can change some of these settings if you want. Not all BOINC projects are available on mobile, and some might not work with older Android versions.

How You Control BOINC

You can control BOINC in a few ways:

• Using the BOINC Manager: This is a program with a simple window where you can see what your computer is doing.
• Using commands: More advanced users can type commands to control it.
• Remotely: You can even control BOINC on another computer from your own.

The BOINC Manager has a simple view that you can even customize!

Managing Your BOINC Accounts

If you want to help many projects or use several computers, BOINC has "account managers." These are tools that help you manage all your BOINC projects from one place. They make it easier to join and switch between different science projects.

Some popular account managers include:

• BAM! (BOINC Account Manager)
• GridRepublic: This one focuses on being simple and easy to use.
• Charity Engine: This manager offers sweepstakes (like a lottery) where you can win prizes. The prizes are paid for by companies that buy computing time from users.
• Science United: This manager helps you pick projects based on what you're interested in, like "medicine" or "physics."

How BOINC Gives Credit

BOINC has a "credit system." This system makes sure that the results your computer sends back are correct. It also helps prevent cheating. The system checks the results to make sure they are accurate before giving you credit for your work. This way, everyone knows the science is real and reliable.

Science Projects You Can Join

Many different groups use BOINC. Some projects are run by universities or research labs. Others are independent. Here are some active projects you can join:

Active Projects You Can Help With

Images for kids

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  A robot helping with science, just like BOINC!

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