Manual GIMPS reservations

[ellipse]

On this page: http://www.mersenne.org/manual_assignment/

it asks whether you want "world record tests" or "smallest available first time tests". What's the difference between them? Selecting "smallest available first time tests" gives me an exponent near 45M, which would also be a world record if it turns out to be prime.

[Mini-Geek]

Originally Posted by ellipse

On this page: http://www.mersenne.org/manual_assignment/

it asks whether you want "world record tests" or "smallest available first time tests". What's the difference between them? Selecting "smallest available first time tests" gives me an exponent near 45M, which would also be a world record if it turns out to be prime.

Usually they're the same, but sometimes candidates below the world record become available because the last person abandoned them. The smallest available option can give you these, the world record option won't. Plus it's always possible that someone searching out of the normal order will find a new record, which would make the options quite different.

[ellipse]

Originally Posted by Mini-Geek

Usually they're the same, but sometimes candidates below the world record become available because the last person abandoned them.

Does the server release abandoned exponents at a certain time of day, or are they released as soon as they expire or are unreserved?

[markr]

Originally Posted by ellipse

Does the server release abandoned exponents at a certain time of day, or are they released as soon as they expire or are unreserved?

The server releases expired exponents at 00:00 UTC. (Or maybe a couple minutes later?) Exponents that are unreserved by the client or user are available straight away.

[ellipse]

I see. Thanks for letting me know.