Get Out and Vote

Get Out and Vote, originally uploaded by videoal.

Yes - this is a real sign - no Photoshop.

This guy is running for state house on the other side of town. Drove past one of these signs a couple of weeks ago when I didn't have my camera. He even ran a couple of TV ads before the primary.

Minor Challenge results

Last week - I posted two images - one of which is above - and challenged someone to decode it. No one rose to the challenge.

This is a 2-dimensional bar code - in the QR Code format. One of the leading uses of QR Codes is to;

QR Codes storing addresses and URLs may appear in magazines, on signs, buses, business cards or just about any object that users might need information about. Users with a camera phone equipped with the correct reader software can scan the image of the QR Code causing the phone's browser to launch and redirect to the programmed URL.

If your phone isn't set-up to translate the above image - then there are on-line websites available to allow you to decode the image.

1. Save image to your computer
2. Go to Zxing decoder online site
3. Browse to the location of the saved image file (or if the image is posted on-line - you can point the web page to the URL of the image)
4. Submit query
5. Decoded text is returned to the web browser as a line of text

Performing that decode on the above QR Code should display the following information;

geo:33.635801,-112.232906

The 'geo:' denotes geographic co-ordinates. So go over and open Google Maps and enter the Co-ordinates (actual lat-long) in the search box at the top.

You should get a image/map (depending on your settings) that looks similiar to this image;


That location - denotes my local Chick-Fil-A. Where you can find me getting breakfast during the week between 9am and 9:15am MST (about 1/2 the time).

Decoding the 2nd barcode is left as an exercise to the reader.

[Next - how to create a QR code of your own]

So what is BOINC?

Down the right hand side of this blog - is the following graphic;


What this is - is the CPU workunits/progress and standings/statistics about my participation in different BOINC projects. BOINC - stands for 'Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing'.

Basically - it is a framework under which different distributed applications can be run. When SETI@Home first started - it was its own dedicated application. That would only have a single workunit in process at a time. I have been running SETI@Home since 1999. And from the table above - you can see that it is the project I have my 2nd highest total credit with.

There are a large number of projects that are available, so if searching for ET to phone home isn't your idea of a good use of spare computer cycles - there are plenty of other options.

I look for projects that are contributing to the general good, and not contributing to something that someone can patent and sell (several of the bio-sciences projects were looking for gene mappings or drug interactions - no thanks).

A couple of the newer projects have skipped the idea of a screensaver. And just have a simple logo to display instead. I like the idea of the screensaver - if it pertains to the project. LHC@Home's - just seems to put bouncing balls on the screen that changes color. But when I am running it at work - an interesting screensaver will prompt people to ask what I have running. That curiousity - could ultimately result in another computer or two working on that project.

Every time a work unit for a project is completed - the user's account gets credit for the work done. But - since the dawn of man if you give him a way to compare himself to others - he will find a way to gain an advantage for himself. For some - this can include installing BOINC 'quietly' on extra computers, writing a code module to increase the speed at which a workunit can be completed or even just buying more computers to run.

Now the credit granted to the participants - has gotten controversial. Some sites have revised the credit they grant - downwards. These 'Kredit Kops' - have been trying to get all of the projects to grant credit based on similiar work.

I don't agree with this policy. Let each project set their own limits. That would allow the less popular or mainstream projects give out more credit as a way to attract more participants.

Remember - these are all volunteer projects. The credits are the only thing that the participants get in return for donating their computer cycles (and power bills) to the project's goal.

Bored? Here's a minor challenge

Figure out what information is encoded in this graphic;



And then send your answer using the following contact information;



Explanation will be posted next week.