how would you distribute the $100k prize?

ixfd64 · 2006-01-12, 08:40

If you were part of the GIMPS management that made the decision, how would you distribute the $100k prize, assuming that GIMPS wins it?

Here's how I would distribute it:

1. At least $65k goes to the individual or team whose computer finds the 10M+ digit prime.
2. $5k to the person who trial factors it in the first stage (preliminary)*
3. $5k to the person who trial factors it in the second stage (the one that appears on PrimeNet today)*
4. $5k to the last person who has made a scientific breakthrough relating to Mersenne primes**
5. $5k for GIMPS funding
6. $5k to charity
7. $5k to the discoverer of the previous Mersenne prime
8. $5k to the discoverer of the next Mersenne prime (to keep people interested)

*goes to the discoverer if the number was not trial factored, if the person(s) who trial factored the number could not be located within two years, or if the discoverer also trial factored the number
**goes to discoverer if no related breakthrough has occured within the last 5 years

BotXXX · 2006-01-12, 10:31

My distribution would look a bit different.

10k for GIMPS funding (running costs etc.)
15k to user whose computer finds the 10M+ digit prime
5k to the 5 previous discoverers of unknown Mersenne primes
5k to the 5 next discoverers of unknown Mersenne primes (put into a deposit at a bank to earn intrest that flows back to GIMPS funding)

Wich leaves 25k left that could be send to several charity projects.

But I am not sure how tax laws are in the US. What taxes have to be paid, how it goes with distributing prize money to foreign countries and their tax offices. And so on.

What I know, this is a great problem with organizing distributed computing projects when money is involved. It looks easy, but all taxlaws just kinda mess things up.

-- edit --
I know I did not include the trial factors. They do a good amount of work, but how can you pick a person out of it that helped the best? The one that trialfactors the most? Would be unfair against people that run prime95 at home to people that run prime95 on workstation farm at work.
Maybe a rondom pick for 5k? Or 5 random picks for 1k each? But then again taxes and so on. In some cases already can take 50% away of the prize.

thechickenman · 2006-01-12, 19:49

Interesting question... I'd do it yet differently;

25k to the discoverer
25k to George for GIMPS funding
25k for equal dividing among the number who discovered primes between 1M and 10M digits.
10k for any breakthroughs. (If none, this goes to the discoverer)
10k especally earmarked to replacing PrimeNet
5k to give away.

ewmayer · 2006-01-12, 19:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by ixfd64

Here's how I would distribute it:

1. At least $65k goes to the individual or team whose computer finds the 10M+ digit prime.
2. $5k to the person who trial factors it in the first stage (preliminary)*
3. $5k to the person who trial factors it in the second stage (the one that appears on PrimeNet today)*
4. $5k to the last person who has made a scientific breakthrough relating to Mersenne primes**
5. $5k for GIMPS funding
6. $5k to charity
7. $5k to the discoverer of the previous Mersenne prime
8. $5k to the discoverer of the next Mersenne prime (to keep people interested)

...and $0 to the person or persons who spent untold thousands of hours developing the code that made all of it possible. Yeah, that sure seems fair to me...

Prime95 · 2006-01-12, 20:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by ewmayer

...and $0 to the person or persons who spent untold thousands of hours developing the code that made all of it possible. Yeah, that sure seems fair to me...

I view the $25k that is earmarked for charity as my "payment". I've elected to give my reward to charity. I am quite comfortable with that.

I actually started ponder this very question a week ago. When the prize rules were announced 5ish years ago, a 10M test was an extraordinary effort. With GIMPS about to start handing out 10M assignments to all first time testers, should the 10M find really be paid 10 times what the last 5 Mersenne finds will be paid? On the other hand, is it fair to change rules drastically midstream?

Xyzzy · 2006-01-12, 22:05

I wish the were no prize at all. It sure would simplify things.

drew · 2006-01-12, 22:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prime95

I view the $25k that is earmarked for charity as my "payment". I've elected to give my reward to charity. I am quite comfortable with that.

That's very noble of you...you'd certainly be entitled to award yourself for all of your efforts.

Quote:

I actually started ponder this very question a week ago. When the prize rules were announced 5ish years ago, a 10M test was an extraordinary effort. With GIMPS about to start handing out 10M assignments to all first time testers, should the 10M find really be paid 10 times what the last 5 Mersenne finds will be paid? On the other hand, is it fair to change rules drastically midstream?

Those earlier tests don't change the fact that the 10 million digit test is the 'bread winner', so to speak. It seems fair to give a disproportionatlely high payout to that particular test.

Having already announced the prize format, though, I don't think it would be prudent to change the rules, now. The next prize would be worth a revisit. If you personally find the non-prize-winning Mersenne primes to be as valuable, it's your perogative to reward them as you see fit.

Drew

Orgasmic Troll · 2006-01-13, 23:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xyzzy

I wish the were no prize at all. It sure would simplify things.

you can just give it to me

moo · 2006-01-14, 00:04

It would be cool to have 70k go towards like 14 different groups charity and then 10k go to finder then another 15 to the other finders and 5 towards further advancement of gimps.

jinydu · 2006-01-14, 01:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prime95

With GIMPS about to start handing out 10M assignments to all first time testers

Just for curiousity, Mr. Woltman, how much longer do you think that will take?

Prime95 · 2006-01-14, 03:42

Some more observant forum readers can probably give you a better estimate. I guess a year.

2006-01-12, 08:40	#1
ixfd64 Bemusing Prompter "Danny" Dec 2002 California 2⁴·157 Posts	how would you distribute the $100k prize? If you were part of the GIMPS management that made the decision, how would you distribute the $100k prize, assuming that GIMPS wins it? Here's how I would distribute it: 1. At least $65k goes to the individual or team whose computer finds the 10M+ digit prime. 2. $5k to the person who trial factors it in the first stage (preliminary)* 3. $5k to the person who trial factors it in the second stage (the one that appears on PrimeNet today)* 4. $5k to the last person who has made a scientific breakthrough relating to Mersenne primes** 5. $5k for GIMPS funding 6. $5k to charity 7. $5k to the discoverer of the previous Mersenne prime 8. $5k to the discoverer of the next Mersenne prime (to keep people interested) goes to the discoverer if the number was not trial factored, if the person(s) who trial factored the number could not be located within two years, or if the discoverer also trial factored the number goes to discoverer if no related breakthrough has occured within the last 5 years Last fiddled with by ixfd64 on 2006-01-12 at 08:41*

2006-01-12, 10:31	#2
BotXXX Aug 2003 Europe 2²×7² Posts	My distribution would look a bit different. 10k for GIMPS funding (running costs etc.) 15k to user whose computer finds the 10M+ digit prime 5k to the 5 previous discoverers of unknown Mersenne primes 5k to the 5 next discoverers of unknown Mersenne primes (put into a deposit at a bank to earn intrest that flows back to GIMPS funding) Wich leaves 25k left that could be send to several charity projects. But I am not sure how tax laws are in the US. What taxes have to be paid, how it goes with distributing prize money to foreign countries and their tax offices. And so on. What I know, this is a great problem with organizing distributed computing projects when money is involved. It looks easy, but all taxlaws just kinda mess things up. -- edit -- I know I did not include the trial factors. They do a good amount of work, but how can you pick a person out of it that helped the best? The one that trialfactors the most? Would be unfair against people that run prime95 at home to people that run prime95 on workstation farm at work. Maybe a rondom pick for 5k? Or 5 random picks for 1k each? But then again taxes and so on. In some cases already can take 50% away of the prize. Last fiddled with by BotXXX on 2006-01-12 at 10:35

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2006-01-12, 19:49	#3
thechickenman Nov 2005 South Carolina 4D₁₆ Posts	Interesting question... I'd do it yet differently; 25k to the discoverer 25k to George for GIMPS funding 25k for equal dividing among the number who discovered primes between 1M and 10M digits. 10k for any breakthroughs. (If none, this goes to the discoverer) 10k especally earmarked to replacing PrimeNet 5k to give away.

2006-01-12, 22:05	#6
Xyzzy Aug 2002 8689₁₀ Posts	I wish the were no prize at all. It sure would simplify things.

2006-01-14, 00:04	#9
moo Jul 2004 Nowhere 329₁₆ Posts	It would be cool to have 70k go towards like 14 different groups charity and then 10k go to finder then another 15 to the other finders and 5 towards further advancement of gimps.

2006-01-14, 03:42	#11
Prime95 P90 years forever! Aug 2002 Yeehaw, FL 2·53·79 Posts	Some more observant forum readers can probably give you a better estimate. I guess a year.