a rosetta@home story

ihatesnowihatesnow, please help me understand something.

I think I recall reading on your profile page some time ago that you work in the Baker laboratory at UW.  That would make Baker your supervisor, right?  (Or, maybe you're just a supporter of his research but don't work directly for him?)

In any case, please explain how this thread, and the many other posts you've made on the BCO Boards about Baker's projects (a.k.a. "Rosetta") are not promotional.  I understand that you believe the approach his lab is taking will be the solution to a cure for cancer and many other health problems.  You think protein structure is the answer.  Other researchers, of course, would disagree; but that's everybody's prerogative.

So here you're asking, via the web links you've provided, that BCO members sign up for "Rosetta at home."  If I am reading things correctly, participation in "Rosetta at home" will result in the loading of proprietary software from Baker's laboratory on our home computers.  That software will then commandeer our computers when they're "not in use," and borrow our hard drives and microprocessors to work on Baker's structural calculations.  That's necessary, apparently, because Baker's lab has been unable to buy enough processor (CPU) time from other sources to carry out his research.

So, how is this thread not solicitation?  And, except for a remote theoretical connection, what does it have to do with breast cancer, specifically?

I apologize in advance for this harsh-sounding post, but I guess I just don't understand what promotion of the "Rosetta" project has to do with the purpose of the Boards.  How is this different from appealing to BCO members to participate in other types of studies or surveys or other types of projects we wish to advocate?  Don't these sorts of things have to be cleared with BCO first?

otter

I'm curious why this one rather than Foldit@home for Stanford University or both?  They both sound legitimate and do similar work.  This news item explains why it would be impossible to get enough computer power without help from many individuals. 

Geeks use computer power to cure cancer 

ihatesnowihatesnow, I apologize for my faulty recollection. 

I understand now that you are not from Baker's lab, even though you do have an unwavering interest in using computers to analyze and predict protein structure.  Your interest is so intense that you've posted your "encouragement" (e.g., "check out this research group using computers http://boinc.bakerlab.org/rosetta/") in many other places on the web besides these BCO discussion boards.  It's a remarkable list of websites, covering such diverse issues as molecular biology, brain cancer, diabetes, human longevity, the stock market, careers in science, ... whew!

Based on what I was able to find on line today, I suspect that you have no personal connection to breast cancer after all.  (I apologize again, in advance, if I'm wrong in that assumption.)  You're just interested in using this forum, as well as the many others where you've left similar "comments," as a venue to promote research on protein structure.

It appears everyone besides me is comfortable with an occasional post promoting research on protein folding and encouraging participation in Baker's research (except, perhaps, the members who frequent the Stage IV forum). So, even though, personally, I think what's going on here is spamming -- especially since I found so many identical posts by "ihatesnow" on other internet sites, forums, blogs, etc. -- I'll not question your motives anymore.

Best wishes in your quest.

 otter