Save the World

Ok, well maybe you won't save the world but your computer could hold the key to finding a cure for cancer, AIDS or Hepatitis C, help reduce global warming, or eliminate world hunger.

Sounds pretty ambitious huh?

It is, which is why a massive amount of computing power is needed to solve these problems. 

If you're not familiar with grid computing, in a nutshell you join with millions of people who download a small application that runs in the background on your computer. When the computer is idle, the application uses your computer's spare processing cycles to run computations that help in the identification of a solution to a much larger problem.  It's secure, free, and you can directly contribute to finding a solution to daunting global problems just by leaving your computer on. 

Sounds pretty good huh?

Grid computing has been around for awhile. I used one of the earlier grid applications and just recently came across a new one from World Community Grid.

If you're interested in harnessing your idle computer power for good, click on the link to World Community Grid, download the software (created at UC Berkeley) and follow the easy to install instructions.  If you want to join other blog readers on the RANdom's Walk Team click here to get to the World Community Grid site and once you register you'll automatically join the RANdom's Walk Team...you'll still have to download and install the small software application.