Client Thoughts

Complex33 · 2004-02-02, 23:40

I know most of this has been brought up before but I think it deserves a second look. I'd especially like to hear from George on the following.

While we wait on the implementation of the new Primenet Server, I believe there are some simple (hopefully) things that could be done to improve user retention and work throughput. The first is the addition of menu items that link to an individuals account report and account rank. I think this is a good idea because I've seen several posts in the forum of new users asking how they know they have gotten anything done after their first submission. Another idea that has been put forth would be to have Prime95 in its default mode "Request whatever type of work makes most sense", to start the client with one or two double checks. This would have a two fold result: first increasing the rate of DC's and second providing a sufficiently faster result for a new user which would be both encouraging and hopefully catch a few more cycles from those who install the program for a short period of time.

In addition for my own amusement I'd like the status window to include the P90-year credit for each assignment and the total so that I don't have to look it up all the time. Also along those lines I'd love an option for the screen output to include with the per iteration time a P90-year per day/week/month/year option.

Just some thoughts I'd love to hear others.

Complex

crash893 · 2004-02-03, 00:45

i have suggested this before ( not exactly this ) but stuff to make the people more involived in the prime95 proccess

my idea would be something like a preformance graph you could run where it would look at your per iteration timings every 2 or 3 min and plot them on a graph

or go to primenet and get yoru rank and plot that vs other peoples

something to make it more interactive

PrimeCruncher · 2004-02-03, 02:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Complex33

The first is the addition of menu items that link to an individuals account report and account rank.

...

In addition for my own amusement I'd like the status window to include the P90-year credit for each assignment and the total so that I don't have to look it up all the time. Also along those lines I'd love an option for the screen output to include with the per iteration time a P90-year per day/week/month/year option.

I second this. A simple link should be easily implementable. Also there is a program p90.exe that I have lying around somewhere that can calculate P90 CPU credit (for TF) for a given exponent, bit depth, factor found, etc.

Angular · 2004-02-03, 17:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by PrimeCruncher

I second this. A simple link should be easily implementable. Also there is a program p90.exe that I have lying around somewhere that can calculate P90 CPU credit (for TF) for a given exponent, bit depth, factor found, etc.

I also agree the link is valuable yet seamingly easy to implement.

What about making the client look cooler? We could pool some money and higher a graphic designer to design a skin like interface for Prime95. While we are at it how about an updated program name for the next version? For the skin, I was thinking along the lines of WinAmp/Windows Media Player...

Complex33 · 2004-02-03, 18:31

My intent at this point was simple changes while we wait for v5 to come online that would hopefully have some use. I'd refrain from major advancements until v5 comes along and provides a basis for more radical changes.

PrimeCruncher · 2004-02-03, 19:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angular

What about making the client look cooler? We could pool some money and higher a graphic designer to design a skin like interface for Prime95. While we are at it how about an updated program name for the next version? For the skin, I was thinking along the lines of WinAmp/Windows Media Player...

Can't agree with you there. Even if we put in the link, info on credits, etc, how often are people really looking at the GUI? A few minutes every day? It's not worth the cost, or the CPU cycles wasted to render it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Complex33

My intent at this point was simple changes while we wait for v5 to come online that would hopefully have some use. I'd refrain from major advancements until v5 comes along and provides a basis for more radical changes.

I agree that this would be the better idea. v5 is going to be a radical change by itself and I think we need to concentrate on that more at the moment. However, it may be a good idea to add more drastic changes to the possible list of "To-do's" so that if any require major server influences they can be built in while the new server is still being designed.

Angular · 2004-02-03, 21:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by PrimeCruncher

Can't agree with you there. Even if we put in the link, info on credits, etc, how often are people really looking at the GUI? A few minutes every day? It's not worth the cost, or the CPU cycles wasted to render it.

I agree that this would be the better idea. v5 is going to be a radical change by itself and I think we need to concentrate on that more at the moment. However, it may be a good idea to add more drastic changes to the possible list of "To-do's" so that if any require major server influences they can be built in while the new server is still being designed.

It should not be rendered since the client should be minimized, right?

What is the status of v5, since the Server Forum has not had a post since the beginning of December?

PrimeCruncher · 2004-02-03, 21:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angular

It should not be rendered since the client should be minimized, right?

Of course. Leaving it open just wastes cycles rendering status updates.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angular

What is the status of v5, since the Server Forum has not had a post since the beginning of December?

Well, that IS what the server development forums are for. There hasn't been any update since December, at least not one that I've seen. Since it's been three months, maybe we could ask for a general progress report from Scott...

Maybeso · 2004-02-04, 10:46

If we are going to have new users start with a few doublecheck's before doing the longer LL's, and I agree we should, is there a painless way to display for them how their results compare with the previous test(s)?

Being able to present that kind of feedback when they finish the run would make d.c. work more appealing.

It seems a little strange to have one of the easiest DC apps to install & run, and then expect a windoze dependant newcomer to stumble through downloading a zipped file - trying to extract their exponents with a command line utility - repeating the process with a second or even third file - and finally determining the meaning of their work by which file works.

Perhaps the install could include a utility that the user can run that handles most of it with minimum prompting?

Or when results are processed, a separate file could store double checks younger that a certain date? Or store the last 2000 returned? And why is it when the process determines which of the 3 files to add the results to, no record of that determination is saved or reported back? Even temporarily? It just gets lost among all the other exponents the project has tested.

It makes sense to me that getting the status back should be the final stage in the life of a double check before prime95 is finished with it and removes it from worktodo. Perhaps adding a line like:
StatusCheck=16###037 Res64: 83########7FDEA8.
would cause prime95 to request a status check. The server would look in the status results file, if the exponent was there, the status would be reported. If not, the exponent would be put in the status pending file, and part of the weekly update would be to create/append to the results file using returned results and the pending file.

2004-02-02, 23:40	#1
Complex33 Aug 2002 Texas 5×31 Posts	Client Thoughts I know most of this has been brought up before but I think it deserves a second look. I'd especially like to hear from George on the following. While we wait on the implementation of the new Primenet Server, I believe there are some simple (hopefully) things that could be done to improve user retention and work throughput. The first is the addition of menu items that link to an individuals account report and account rank. I think this is a good idea because I've seen several posts in the forum of new users asking how they know they have gotten anything done after their first submission. Another idea that has been put forth would be to have Prime95 in its default mode "Request whatever type of work makes most sense", to start the client with one or two double checks. This would have a two fold result: first increasing the rate of DC's and second providing a sufficiently faster result for a new user which would be both encouraging and hopefully catch a few more cycles from those who install the program for a short period of time. In addition for my own amusement I'd like the status window to include the P90-year credit for each assignment and the total so that I don't have to look it up all the time. Also along those lines I'd love an option for the screen output to include with the per iteration time a P90-year per day/week/month/year option. Just some thoughts I'd love to hear others. Complex Last fiddled with by Complex33 on 2004-02-02 at 23:41

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2004-02-03, 00:45	#2
crash893 Sep 2002 2³·37 Posts	i have suggested this before ( not exactly this ) but stuff to make the people more involived in the prime95 proccess my idea would be something like a preformance graph you could run where it would look at your per iteration timings every 2 or 3 min and plot them on a graph or go to primenet and get yoru rank and plot that vs other peoples something to make it more interactive

2004-02-03, 18:31	#5
Complex33 Aug 2002 Texas 5·31 Posts	My intent at this point was simple changes while we wait for v5 to come online that would hopefully have some use. I'd refrain from major advancements until v5 comes along and provides a basis for more radical changes.

2004-02-04, 10:46	#9
Maybeso Aug 2002 Portland, OR USA 422₈ Posts	If we are going to have new users start with a few doublecheck's before doing the longer LL's, and I agree we should, is there a painless way to display for them how their results compare with the previous test(s)? Being able to present that kind of feedback when they finish the run would make d.c. work more appealing. It seems a little strange to have one of the easiest DC apps to install & run, and then expect a windoze dependant newcomer to stumble through downloading a zipped file - trying to extract their exponents with a command line utility - repeating the process with a second or even third file - and finally determining the meaning of their work by which file works. Perhaps the install could include a utility that the user can run that handles most of it with minimum prompting? Or when results are processed, a separate file could store double checks younger that a certain date? Or store the last 2000 returned? And why is it when the process determines which of the 3 files to add the results to, no record of that determination is saved or reported back? Even temporarily? It just gets lost among all the other exponents the project has tested. It makes sense to me that getting the status back should be the final stage in the life of a double check before prime95 is finished with it and removes it from worktodo. Perhaps adding a line like: StatusCheck=16###037 Res64: 83########7FDEA8. would cause prime95 to request a status check. The server would look in the status results file, if the exponent was there, the status would be reported. If not, the exponent would be put in the status pending file, and part of the weekly update would be to create/append to the results file using returned results and the pending file.