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Ythan
ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ


Registered: 08/08/97
Posts: 18,793
Loc: NY/MA/VT Borderlands
Last seen: 45 minutes, 17 seconds
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Donate your spare CPU cycles to the Shroomery! **Please help beta test!** 4
#19303902 - 12/20/13 05:01 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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I was wondering if you guys could help me test out a new idea I wanted to try. I packaged up a one-click cryptocurrency miner, so anybody who wants to donate their spare CPU cycles to the Shroomery can easily do so. You just need a desktop computer running Windows. It works on laptops too, but they can get hot, and it doesn't stop running when you're on battery power so I don't recommend it.
All you have to do is download and run this file: Install Shroomery Miner.exe. It will silently mine one of a number of cryptocurrencies depending on which is the best value at the moment, and proceeds are converted to cash money for the Shroomery!
It's designed to be extremely easy to use and unobtrusive, so it's a good way for everyone to help out the site. It runs at idle priority and it doesn't transfer much data, so it won't slow down your computer. Once it's installed you should never even know it's running, but it can easily be disabled or cleanly uninstalled if you choose. It's kind of like Folding@home, if you're familiar with that.
You can run it on as many computers as you want simultaneously, they just need internet access and a current version of Windows. If people want, eventually I could look into making packages for Linux and OSX as well.
Right now there's no way to track individual stats, but aggregate team stats are available. I'd like to add support for individual stats if there's enough interest, or even a way to automatically split the proceeds with contributors, but that's a ways off. Really I was just hoping that people could test it out, even if you don't intend to run it long-term, and report any bugs or weird behavior. I tried it on all the computers I have access to and it seems solid, but there are always weird corner cases. And of course, if you decide you do want to keep running it, that would be much appreciated too! 
I have no idea if this is even worth the time I spent putting it together, but *I* think it's pretty cool at least! Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions. Thanks!
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TrentBoyett
Aspiring Mycologist



Registered: 11/29/12
Posts: 16,000
Loc: Kazakhstan
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Re: Donate your spare CPU cycles to the Shroomery! **Please help beta test!** [Re: Ythan]
#19303929 - 12/20/13 05:07 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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I'm installing right now!
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modern.shaman
San Mescalito




Registered: 05/09/12
Posts: 3,229
Loc: Zone 13
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Re: Donate your spare CPU cycles to the Shroomery! **Please help beta test!** [Re: TrentBoyett]
#19303959 - 12/20/13 05:14 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
mjmihalov said: I'm installing right now!
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friskie
TRUSTED OTD'ER


Registered: 08/15/12
Posts: 10,123
Loc: Florida
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Re: Donate your spare CPU cycles to the Shroomery! **Please help beta test!** [Re: Ythan]
#19304007 - 12/20/13 05:24 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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great ideea
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Gilgamesh18
Herbivore Man

Registered: 03/01/12
Posts: 11,671
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Re: Donate your spare CPU cycles to the Shroomery! **Please help beta test!** [Re: friskie]
#19304091 - 12/20/13 05:40 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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Ythan I think just charging a flat monthly fee to post could ultimatly prove lucractive to the site
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friskie
TRUSTED OTD'ER


Registered: 08/15/12
Posts: 10,123
Loc: Florida
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Re: Donate your spare CPU cycles to the Shroomery! **Please help beta test!** [Re: Gilgamesh18] 2
#19304126 - 12/20/13 05:46 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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CAPITALISM
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Gilgamesh18
Herbivore Man

Registered: 03/01/12
Posts: 11,671
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Re: Donate your spare CPU cycles to the Shroomery! **Please help beta test!** [Re: friskie]
#19304131 - 12/20/13 05:47 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
friskie said: CAPITALISM
It would cut down on the riff raff and ultimatly make it more exclusisive
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deadwk
00101011


Registered: 06/17/09
Posts: 8,890
Loc: Canada, eh?
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Re: Donate your spare CPU cycles to the Shroomery! **Please help beta test!** [Re: Gilgamesh18]
#19304160 - 12/20/13 05:53 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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LOL 86Khash please tell me that's in LTC, cause if it isn't you all have some terrible computers 
Installing now.
edit:
Okay it's running, but I have some questions: 1)I'm guessing this is mining bitcoins? 2)Nothing shows up in my task manager, but the CPU usage climbs to 100% which is a little frustrating. I suggest making someway for it to show up as an actual process so one can limit the amount of CPU cycles it can use. 3)Make a command prompt window open up during startup that display some basic statistics, such as time running, hash per second, etc...
Edited by deadwk (12/20/13 05:58 PM)
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Sell Your Soul
Nutmeg shaman


Registered: 03/15/00
Posts: 40,819
Loc: Over there
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Re: Donate your spare CPU cycles to the Shroomery! **Please help beta test!** [Re: Ythan]
#19304201 - 12/20/13 06:00 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
Ythan said: I was wondering if you guys could help me test out a new idea I wanted to try. I packaged up a one-click cryptocurrency miner, so anybody who wants to donate their spare CPU cycles to the Shroomery can easily do so. You just need a desktop computer running Windows. It works on laptops too, but they can get hot, and it doesn't stop running when you're on battery power so I don't recommend it.

100% CPU!
-------------------- Here's where the site administrators announce changes to the website. You can also post your opinions and suggestions about how we can make the Shroomery better. This is not a forum to contest disciplinary action. Please use our support ticket system for such matters, providing as much related information as possible.
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deadwk
00101011


Registered: 06/17/09
Posts: 8,890
Loc: Canada, eh?
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Re: Donate your spare CPU cycles to the Shroomery! **Please help beta test!** [Re: Sell Your Soul]
#19304222 - 12/20/13 06:03 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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It doesn't even show up in the processes tab, if this wasn't Ythan I'd be suspicious as fuck and use Wireshark to see what server it's linking up to.
But I trust Ythan.
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modern.shaman
San Mescalito




Registered: 05/09/12
Posts: 3,229
Loc: Zone 13
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Re: Donate your spare CPU cycles to the Shroomery! **Please help beta test!** [Re: deadwk]
#19304265 - 12/20/13 06:09 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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Ythan posts on his facebook that his shroomery account was compromised and is trying to regain access.
I agree that it would be nice to see a process.
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Adden

Registered: 06/04/03
Posts: 39,201
Loc:
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Re: Donate your spare CPU cycles to the Shroomery! **Please help beta test!** [Re: modern.shaman]
#19304281 - 12/20/13 06:12 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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I'll do this on an unmatched scale due to my line of work providing I see a good number on my percentage of digital currency holdings in Mind Media LLC. Have geokills email me for more details.
Edited by Dystopia (12/20/13 06:39 PM)
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Sell Your Soul
Nutmeg shaman


Registered: 03/15/00
Posts: 40,819
Loc: Over there
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Re: Donate your spare CPU cycles to the Shroomery! **Please help beta test!** [Re: modern.shaman] 4
#19304286 - 12/20/13 06:12 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
modern.shaman said: Ythan posts on his facebook that his shroomery account was compromised and is trying to regain access.
I agree that it would be nice to see a process.
That's just not true. You should take those comments to Romper Room.
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The Phleg
Big Dick Chakra



Registered: 03/07/10
Posts: 14,473
Loc: Uncanny Valley
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Re: Donate your spare CPU cycles to the Shroomery! **Please help beta test!** [Re: Ythan] 4
#19304290 - 12/20/13 06:13 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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It would be cool if we gained supporter accounts and whatnot after a certain amount of coin mined. If that happens, I'll definitely switch over from Folding.
-------------------- You wanna get high? Drink tap water. --------------------
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Sell Your Soul
Nutmeg shaman


Registered: 03/15/00
Posts: 40,819
Loc: Over there
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Re: Donate your spare CPU cycles to the Shroomery! **Please help beta test!** [Re: The Phleg]
#19304298 - 12/20/13 06:14 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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Nah man, you gotta do BOTH!
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The Phleg
Big Dick Chakra



Registered: 03/07/10
Posts: 14,473
Loc: Uncanny Valley
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Re: Donate your spare CPU cycles to the Shroomery! **Please help beta test!** [Re: Sell Your Soul]
#19304316 - 12/20/13 06:16 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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Well man, no.
-------------------- You wanna get high? Drink tap water. --------------------
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THE KRAT BARON
one-eyed willie
Registered: 07/08/03
Posts: 42,409
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Re: Donate your spare CPU cycles to the Shroomery! **Please help beta test!** [Re: The Phleg] 1
#19304445 - 12/20/13 06:39 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
pyrate999 said: It would be cool if we gained supporter accounts and whatnot after a certain amount of coin mined.
-------------------- m00nshine is currently vacationing in Maui. Rumor has it he got rolled by drunken natives and is currently prostituting himself in order to pay for airfare back to the mainland but he's having trouble juggling a hairon addiction. He won't be back for a long while.
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spacechildo
proletarians rise up



Registered: 01/24/13
Posts: 19,243
Loc: Babylon
Last seen: 6 years, 5 months
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Re: Donate your spare CPU cycles to the Shroomery! **Please help beta test!** [Re: THE KRAT BARON] 1
#19304514 - 12/20/13 06:54 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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people would put more into it if they could track their own stats I bet!
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Par

Registered: 09/05/10
Posts: 811
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Re: Donate your spare CPU cycles to the Shroomery! **Please help beta test!** [Re: spacechildo]
#19304820 - 12/20/13 07:49 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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This just encourages me to learn how to mine my own coins for myself. Not to be selfish, I will try that program out once Ythan reports back on the 100% CPU deal.
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Ythan
ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ


Registered: 08/08/97
Posts: 18,793
Loc: NY/MA/VT Borderlands
Last seen: 45 minutes, 17 seconds
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Re: Donate your spare CPU cycles to the Shroomery! **Please help beta test!** [Re: Ythan]
#19304998 - 12/20/13 08:23 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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This program mines scrypt-based currencies, vs. SHA256-based currencies like Bitcoin. They're basically the same but scrypt is a little more practical for people with average mid-range computers and no specialized hardware. The pool we use is Hash Cows. They support mining in a number of different currencies (24 to be exact) and they assign work for whatever one is most profitable at the moment.
100% CPU usage is normal. The miner is set to idle priority, so it only runs when other programs aren't using the CPU, but it makes use of all available spare cycles. The app doesn't show up in the running program list because it's installed as a system service. This keeps it out of the way and allows it to run more reliably. If you open task manager, click the "Processes" tab, and then click the "Show processes from all users" button at the bottom, you'll see the "minerd.exe" process which is doing the mining. It's a free and open-source app from http://sourceforge.net/projects/cpuminer/, I just created the installer to make it easier to get started. You can see the files on your hard drive if you type %ProgramFiles%\Shroomery Miner\ in an explorer window.
I would definitely like to add individual stats and the ability to earn supporter accounts through mining. It's a little tricky though. In order to do it properly I'd have to set up our own mining pool (to replace Hash Cows), but that's a lot of work and I'm not really an expert on running a mining pool. The alternative is to read and submit data through the Hash Cows website, but they don't have an API so any method of doing that would be an ugly hack that's prone to breaking if they update their site structure at all. That's why I wanted to see if anybody even likes the idea and uses it before I put in the effort to figure that stuff out. It's not an insurmountable problem though, if people are interested.
Thanks to everyone who's testing it already! Any more questions, please let me know!
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