Donate!?

Brain · 2010-09-06, 19:01

I cannot detect any progress on our donation bar... Should it be better promoted? Testimonials for example? Should the usage be explained in a different way? Will GIMPS run out of money? ;-) Or is everyone just "donating" his personal electric bill?

By the way, we see some client prototypes for v26. I'd be very interested to get more to know of future plannings on hard- and software of client and server.

Both topics are probably related. A pity that you can't buy human resources / time (doing the assembler stuff).

ixfd64 · 2010-09-07, 17:14

This is very disappointing. The donations page has been up for over six months, yet GIMPS has only gotten $375. I've seen other forums get thousandsof dollars anually. I'd love to make a donation myself, except I don't have a job at the moment. :-(

joblack · 2010-09-08, 02:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by ixfd64

This is very disappointing. The donations page has been up for over six months, yet GIMPS has only gotten $375. I've seen other forums get thousandsof dollars anually. I'd love to make a donation myself, except I don't have a job at the moment. :-(

LOL - I didn't recognize the button before. I must have developed a 'brain activated banner ignore mode' ;)

Primeinator · 2010-09-08, 04:35

I would donate, but simply do not have the funds as a college student to do so. Most of my free money goes into paying for food or other expenses/making a dent in student loans.

moebius · 2010-09-08, 05:36

A pity. that a successful project as GIMPS, haven't found sponsors in the Industrie.

Oddball · 2010-09-08, 05:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by ixfd64

This is very disappointing. The donations page has been up for over six months, yet GIMPS has only gotten $375.

For perspective, Primegrid is a little more than halfway through its 2010 donation goal of 4000 euros:

http://www.primegrid.com/donations.php

NBtarheel_33 · 2010-09-08, 05:55

Since GIMPS (aka Mersenne Research, Inc.) has been officially incorporated as a recognized 501(c)(3) charity for US tax purposes, I wonder if it would be valid to take a tax deduction for the extra cost of electricity, computers, etc. that are used solely for the running of GIMPS workunits. For instance, it seems reasonable that if I normally run my computer only 6 hours a day, but start running it 24x7 for GIMPS purposes (with the usual 6 hours a day for regular work), I ought to be able to claim at least the added electricity costs for the other 18 hours a day, as a charitable donation to GIMPS (assuming I keep a careful contemporaneous log of my computing use for GIMPS vs. regular work, per typical IRS guidelines).

This might be an excellent motivator for individuals, and especially businesses, to run GIMPS. Any accountants in the house?

NBtarheel_33 · 2010-09-08, 06:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by moebius

A pity. that a successful project as GIMPS, haven't found sponsors in the Inustrie.

Seems like Prime95 could be standard equipment on new PCs, at least as a troubleshooter/stress tester. Of course then you start getting into corporate agreements, contracts, which invariably leads to financial issues, ownership issues, licensing issues, etc. etc. etc. Could be a hindrance to something that has always been, after all, just for fun.

I would like to see GIMPS work towards forming a board/foundation a la WikiMedia. At the very least it would be nice to have a group of knowledgeable people to be available to assist George and Scott with some of the more mundane maintenance and database tasks, as well as a few folks who could work with George and Scott to become intimately familiar with the inner workings of the project, and serve as interim or permanent replacements should either George or Scott need to devote less time to the project or retire completely. I can't think of any reason why GIMPS shouldn't long outlive its founders or any of its current contributors, but the only way for this to happen is for successors to the throne to be groomed at some point.

em99010pepe · 2010-09-08, 06:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by moebius

A pity. that a successful project as GIMPS, haven't found sponsors in the Industrie.

Do you think GIMPS is important for them? What is the added value for them? Spend more money on electricity bill. When you make an industry energy audit you advise to reduce energy not spend more. You set goals to reduce energy. Who cares about GIMPS?! This is a hobbie...

moebius · 2010-09-08, 07:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by em99010pepe

Do you think GIMPS is important for them?.

Do you think "searching for aliens" is important?

http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/sponsors.php

em99010pepe · 2010-09-08, 08:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by moebius

Do you think \"searching for aliens\" is important?http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/sponsors.php

No. Is IBM running on all its machines SETI? I don\'t think so...

2010-09-06, 19:01	#1
Brain Dec 2009 Peine, Germany 331 Posts	Donate!? I cannot detect any progress on our donation bar... Should it be better promoted? Testimonials for example? Should the usage be explained in a different way? Will GIMPS run out of money? ;-) Or is everyone just "donating" his personal electric bill? By the way, we see some client prototypes for v26. I'd be very interested to get more to know of future plannings on hard- and software of client and server. Both topics are probably related. A pity that you can't buy human resources / time (doing the assembler stuff).

2010-09-08, 05:36	#5
moebius Jul 2009 Germany 3²·61 Posts	A pity. that a successful project as GIMPS, haven't found sponsors in the Industrie. Last fiddled with by moebius on 2010-09-08 at 06:07

2010-09-08, 05:55	#7
NBtarheel_33 "Nathan" Jul 2008 Maryland, USA 5×223 Posts	Tax advantages to crunching? Since GIMPS (aka Mersenne Research, Inc.) has been officially incorporated as a recognized 501(c)(3) charity for US tax purposes, I wonder if it would be valid to take a tax deduction for the extra cost of electricity, computers, etc. that are used solely for the running of GIMPS workunits. For instance, it seems reasonable that if I normally run my computer only 6 hours a day, but start running it 24x7 for GIMPS purposes (with the usual 6 hours a day for regular work), I ought to be able to claim at least the added electricity costs for the other 18 hours a day, as a charitable donation to GIMPS (assuming I keep a careful contemporaneous log of my computing use for GIMPS vs. regular work, per typical IRS guidelines). This might be an excellent motivator for individuals, and especially businesses, to run GIMPS. Any accountants in the house?

2010-09-07, 17:14	#2
ixfd64 Bemusing Prompter "Danny" Dec 2002 California 2,377 Posts	This is very disappointing. The donations page has been up for over six months, yet GIMPS has only gotten $375. I've seen other forums get thousandsof dollars anually. I'd love to make a donation myself, except I don't have a job at the moment. :-(

2010-09-08, 04:35	#4
Primeinator "Kyle" Feb 2005 Somewhere near M52.. 3·5·61 Posts	I would donate, but simply do not have the funds as a college student to do so. Most of my free money goes into paying for food or other expenses/making a dent in student loans.