Thread: Do you use Boinc Software? Does it have a negative impact your computer's lifespan?

Boinc is a program designed to use people's computers as a kind of supercomputer, to help work out things that might take years for a normal computer to calculate.
There are various programs on the boinc website, which allow you to choose what you would like your computer to contribute to.
There are projects such as protein folding, which uses your computer to try and estimate the lowest energy fold for proteins.. to help find a cure for Elzheimers and other diseases.
Other projects you can choose include searching for unknown primary numbers (useful for military coding amongst other things), and even finding new constellations in the galaxy.
Boinc runs on your computer when you are not using it, and uses processing power and if you elect, GPU. My friend referred me to Boinc, and I thought it was a good way to help out, even though I only have one computer.

The reason for this post is I want to know if others on this site use Boinc, and do you think it might wear out your computer? My friend seems to think that running a processor at 100% all the time, and using ram, GPU, and constantly writing to the disk will not 'wear out' the computer, as they are supposed to have millions of hours of usage in them. He argues that if your computer fails it will be due to other things than simple 'wear and tear'.
What is your opinion on this?

Boinc website:
BOINC

I have done this in the past with S.E.T.I and it was a fun experience. Technically it makes sense that your computer's lifespan will be shorter due to the extra time spent crunching numbers. But I never saw an issue, I retired that computer before it was dead.

It might shorten your CPU's lifespan, but it shouldn't be an issue unless you intend to keep it using it for 10 years or so.
Overclocking is probably much worse, yet people do it all the time and rarely complain (when done right, that is).

I am using BOINK to run Einstein@Home.
It searches the data of LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) for evidence of gravitational waves.
They are part of the general relativity of Einstein.
The one big problem is... no one knows if this weaves are existing or not... it's more spiritual than physical at the moment.

But... for me it is an very interesting topic!


and... if you don't overclock your system for this... or run it all the thime it should not shorten your computers lifespan