*takes a deep breath* Okay, here we go. Here's what I wrote up tonight. Please let me know what you think. Spelling and grammer suggestions welcome too! I know and admit that I'm not the greatest when it comes to the english language.

It is estimated that there are more than 600 million PCs in use around the world today. But computer owners only use their systems for a fraction of the day. So what are these computers doing in their spare time? Usually, nothing. That leaves and enormous amount of untapped computational power!

What they could be doing is helping to solve the most important scientific problems facing the world today. Solutions to problems such as AIDS/HIV, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and cancer, can all be more quickly discovered by something as simple as volunteering your computer’s idle cycles to the projects at the World Community Grid.

Launched on November 16th 2004, the World Community Grid was developed by the National Institute of Health, the World Health Organization, the United Nations and Oxford University. IBM joined the project and donated hardware, such as eServers, operating system software, and the technical services of maintenance, hosting and support. United Devices has contributed its Grid MP Software. This software makes it possible for organizations to “harness the power of online computers” on a world wide scale. Other organizations include the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Markle Foundation, and the Mayo Clinic.

The mission of the World Community Grid (WCG) is “to create the world’s largest public computing grid to tackle projects that benefit humanity.” Here’s how it works; the Grid currently links together over 100,000 volunteers, with the potential of 10 million or more computers all over the world, creating a large system of computers. Work is divided into small pieces called “work units” and shared among the computers in the system. It would take a supercomputer years to accomplish such a large workload; where as a large group of lesser computers can accomplish it in months.

Last year alone the more than 100,000 volunteers on the WCG and their 170,000 plus computers accomplished around 20,000 years of research!

Current projects being conducted at the WCG are, the Human Proteome Project, sponsored by the Institute for Systems Biology and the FightAIDS@Home project of the Scripps Research Institute. Volunteers may choose to dedicate their computer(s) to either of the projects or to both.

The Grid’s Human Proteome Project has returned tremendous results. Previously only 18,000 of the 30,000 protein structures in the Human Proteome were known. After just twelve months the volunteers of the WCG have contributed an additional 9,000 proteins. It would have taken the existing computers at the Institute of Systems Biology 100 years to get these results!

DNA is composed of genes, and genes tell amino acids how to form chains to become proteins. Once amino acids are in a chain it must fold properly to make a protein our bodies can use. There are so many different ways a protein can fold that discovering the correct way it should fold, and the function of it once it has folded, is an enormous task.

The Human Proteome Project is being used to predict the shape of folded proteins. Scientists use these predictions to discover the function of the protein. If scientists could understand how each of the 30,000 proteins affect human health they could discover and develop new treatments and cures for diseases such as, cancer, Alzheimer’s and AIDS.

On November 21st 2005 the World Community Grid welcomed the FightAIDS@Home project. FightAIDS@Home is using the Grid’s computing power and the AutoDock program to develop new treatments for HIV/AIDS.

The AutoDock program, developed by Dr. Olson’s laboratory, predicts how different structured molecules might “bind” or “dock” with the HIV protease. Blocking the protease potentially keeps the HIV virus from developing into AIDS.

The problem though is that when the HIV virus copies itself, it mutates. It’s constantly evolving and forming new versions of itself that are resistant to current drugs. If computers can predict the best molecules, then scientists can test them to see how effective they are against the virus, mutation, and the effects of time.

As of December 5th 2005 there are 127,769 members with 208,154 devices volunteering idle cycles at the WCG. Currently it has amounted to 21,915 years of total research!

Joining the World Community Grid is simple, free, and secure. Just visit http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org and click the download link. All results from the projects become public domain and researchers that use the Grid must keep their research and software in the public domain as well.

The WCG software is available for Windows 98, ME, 2000, and XP. The Grid has also added a newly developed Linux platform BOINC (Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing). For more system requirement information please visit http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/help/viewTopic.do?shortName=minimumreq

Once you have downloaded the software your computer will request a work unit and will automatically begin work on it. When you want to use your computer the agent steps out of the way and your work becomes the priority. When your system is in idle or only being used lightly, it will begin work again. After your computer has finished its work unit, it will send the results back to the server and request a new piece of work. The more your computer is on, the more work it can do!

More information can be found at:
- Institute for Systems Biology http://www.systemsbiology.org/ (Human Proteome Project)
- FightAIDS@Home http://fightaidsathome.scripps.edu/index.html
- World Community Grid http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org

Edited: once

Thank you for the suggestions mycroft!

I made the change to the WCG web address.

And I think you're right that a direct quote from the FAAH site, such as the one you gave, would be easier to for others to read and understand.

Maybe it would be best if I just edit out the member info until there is an active member count. It really doesn't serve much of a purpose and was just a last minute addition when I wrote it. Otherwise I could change it like so:

"As of December 5th 2005 there are 127,769 registered members at the World Community Grid. Currently it has amounted to an estimate of 21,915 years of total research!"

Wonderful effort by all concerned. I wrote a letter to Bill Gates but then I am sure that between me and Bill Gates there are plenty of people who either do not understand it (your request for charity has been received, please see the details at---) or feel that what I wrote was trivial or frivolous (your letter has been preserved for future reference). I have decided to send the invitation to 275 college mates of mine with a request to participate and also forward it to their colleagues and friends. God willing (Inshallah, as is said in our part of the world), it will be done in the next 24 hours.

Well, in the forums I've posted in, I usually have a quick basic intro/info on FAAH. What it is, how it works, and the system requirements. Then I have links to FFAH, WCG, and such. But, I also provide a link to this document for more detailed information. It's a very basic page layout right now, but I'm in the process of sprucing it up a bit. I've snagged Shuchan into my obsession in this and have her designing banners and things. XD
Keep an eye on our team forum! I'll be posting the updates there : )