Working on the 28,000,000-30,000,000 range

[garo]

I felt the explanations in this thread were a bit cryptic initially to protect the identity of those involved. Now that what really transpired has become clear I do not consider what tha has done as poaching at all. In fact, I'd like to lend a hand. So if there are any more exponents available I will take 4!

[petrw1]

There is another bunch of ANON in that range at about -8 days...anything we might want to know?

[petrw1]

Originally Posted by garo

I felt the explanations in this thread were a bit cryptic initially to protect the identity of those involved. Now that what really transpired has become clear I do not consider what tha has done as poaching at all. In fact, I'd like to lend a hand. So if there are any more exponents available I will take 4!

Garo: I think any assigned to leela only and none of us are free.

[tha]

Originally Posted by petrw1

There is another bunch of ANON in that range at about -8 days...anything we might want to know?

The 5 lowest exponents that need to complete their DC are
26813491
26816641
26849083
27897511
27906397
I've watched them the last two months along with others and they are progressing as expected from the initial claims, although they appear to have mostly not been worked on during the december holidays. All of them will be completed in or before January.

Then there are 27988427 and 27988483 which are about to reach 90% done and seem to continue to run at a pace of 0,3% - 0,5% a month. I am not going to burn my hands by touching them, but my gut feeling says that if and when they are the last remaining obstacles to promote M30402457 to its definite rank they will be taken by a rogue poacher. How rogue that is is what seems to divide the community.

The assignments from 29213851 upwards seem to be mostly slow but steady progressing workers. I want to wait until at least February before analysing them in detail.

There are also quite some assignments in this range to exponents that have been DC'ed already and are not worth following.

[chalsall]

Originally Posted by petrw1

There is another bunch of ANON in that range at about -8 days...anything we might want to know?

These may be reserved by Rich, who hasn't in the past "claimed" his assignments.

He's away from his machine for about another week, but has told me via PM that he'll do so as soon as he has access again.

So, I'd suggest we just work on tha's list for the moment, and then take a look at the situation then.

[NBtarheel_33]

I would just like to comment that it is great to finally see a reasonable discussion of this issue and a fair attempt to achieve a solution that facilitates GIMPS progress while avoiding as much toe-stepping as is reasonably possible.

I don't think even Lord Limburger could argue with the discussion and protocol being implemented here.

As I posted upthread, it would help an even greater deal if Carsten would perhaps contribute to this discussion. His contributions are numerous and valuable, so I have a hard time believing that he would purposefully hinder progress. But it would be nice to have some kind of explanation if this is a glitch, error, what have you.

Anyway, way to go, guys! I remember testing a bunch of these 28M and 29M exponents when they were hindering progress on the "first-time" milestones list way back in 2008-2009. It is time for these exponents to rest in peace!

[chalsall]

Originally Posted by NBtarheel_33

But it would be nice to have some kind of explanation if this is a glitch, error, what have you.

Agreed, it would be nice to have an explanation.

But I don't see how it could be a "glitch", since these were reserved via the GPU72 manual assignment page over several days using a web-browser....

[NBtarheel_33]

Originally Posted by chalsall

Agreed, it would be nice to have an explanation.

But I don't see how it could be a "glitch", since these were reserved via the GPU72 manual assignment page over several days using a web-browser....

So...just to get this straight:

Carsten was asked by the Powers-that-Be(TM) to release his hoard of preferred exponents, which he did. GPU72 then picked them up for distribution to known, trusted users. Then Carsten comes along and makes use of the GPU72 mechanism to re-assign to himself that same hoard of exponents?

If that accounting of events is correct, then, yes, I call shenanigans.

[NBtarheel_33]

I have just PMed Carsten asking for his comments in this thread.

[chalsall]

Originally Posted by NBtarheel_33

Carsten was asked by the Powers-that-Be(TM) to release his hoard of preferred exponents, which he did. GPU72 then picked them up for distribution to known, trusted users. Then Carsten comes along and makes use of the GPU72 mechanism to re-assign to himself that same hoard of exponents?

Not all of them he released were picked up by him again; some of them got an extra bit of TFing, and were given to other GPU72 "trusted" users. It was a function of when they were available for DC assignment and when they were asked for.

But, effectively, yes. What you've summarized is what went down.

[tha]

Originally Posted by NBtarheel_33

So...just to get this straight:

I've been thinking what could be his reason. It will of course be guessing. We can safely assume he is trying to do his part to contribute to the project. A scenario I've come up with is that he has some offline computers under a rather limited control that need more time to complete. That still leaves a number of questions open.

Anyway, we have to go forward with the limited and reliable information we have. I am glad that the community expressed support for a set of rules that seem to give everyone most of what he/she expects from the GIMPS project.