Peter Moore Says 'Folding@home' For Xbox 360 Possible
Peter Moore, the head of gaming for Microsoft, suggested that they would seriously consider having a program similar to the Folding@home project already going on for Sony's PlayStation 3. Would MS love to share the high praise PS3 is getting for its work on the program? Absolutely! Here's what Mr. Moore had to say:
"If we truly believe that we can in some way marshal the resources of a much larger installed base of Xbox 360 owners, with a processor that's of equal power to the PS3, then you have my commitment that we'll look at that," commented Moore, corporate VP of interactive entertainment at Microsoft, to The Mercury News."And if we believe we can add value to solving a gnarly problem such as medical problems and the health problems that Folding@home seems to be doing, then we'll certainly look at that very strongly."
Currently, over 250,000 PS3 consoles are signed up to Stanford University's Folding@home program. As you may recall, the PS3s have doubled the processing power of the program. If Xbox 360s were thrown into the mix with its much larger install base, the results could be even more profound. However, Moore questioned the results from the PS3 by adding, ""I'm not quite sure yet whether we're seeing real tangible results from the PlayStation 3 Folding@home initiative. We continue to look at this and see whether there's real value." Someone's a tad jealous! It would be good for MS to 'jump in' the Folding@home program. It's a good cause and provides plenty of good publicity. I, for one, would do it...I already have my MacBook Pro slave away at it during the evening and I feel good doing it.
So what do you think? Should MS do it or no?
Xbox boss reveals Microsoft would consider assisting research initiatives [GamesIndustry.biz]
[via Eurogamer]
Super Timsy
Posted to Video Games on 10 May 2007
· Comments (7)
Other stuff like this: Folding@home, Microsoft, Peter Moore, Xbox 360
My beloved Xbox360 left on overnight? Erm no thanks! I don't want my house to burn down and reason 2 no one would be able to sleep it would be as if someone was vacuuming all night as if they had extreme OCD. Leave the folding to more reliable, non-breaking down, whisper quiet machines thanks! The 360 needs looking after like a baby or its red ring of death time, leaving it running all night is not a good idea. Ps3 it must be said is robust as hell.
Really, it sounds like a no-brainer: of course MS should do it.
Already Macs have this ability built in, as you've already mentioned, Timsy. Having Sony, their other rival, out-do-gooding them on their other flank, really puts them behind, as far as good PR spin goes.
The question is, what will all of Al Gore's global-warming legions say to this extra electricity usage?
(What's with all the commas? Can't say; I'm a man who loves his commas.)
Definitely something MS should NOT do. The Xbox is a fragile machine as it is. My boyfriend's box just fried and he only used it sparingly. I'd hate to see the rates of red-ringed boxes increase because of a program like this. :(
" (What's with all the commas? Can't say; I'm a man who loves his commas.) "
Comma comma comma comma comma chameleon,
You come and go,
You come and go-o-o-o...
:-/ Sorry, had a bit of Culture Club relapse there.
Seriously, I'm more concerned about all that energy consumption than anything.
1. Yes, the PS3 uses a good amount of energy to do the Folding@Home calculations, but it's also doing them at an alarming rate, so I'm assuming (being a liberal Gore-bot myself) that the cost does not outweigh the reward in this case.
2. If the 360 *could* do this, and I'm not saying it couldn't, it would sound like a jet was taking off all night, IF it didn't break my 360 completely. No thanks. I'm just saying I wouldn't want my hopes for a cancer cure riding on Microsoft reliability.
3. Peter Moore is a dillwad. Every company spokesman says plenty of dumb buillshit, but this guy is a bonafide douche. "I'm not quite sure yet whether we're seeing real tangible results from the PlayStation 3 Folding@home initiative." Weird, because apparently Stanford is. Stop being a baby. Sony actually beat you to something cool. Maybe the only time ever, but take it like a man.
They shouldn't do it.
this may be the sony fanboyism talking but the x-box can't handle anything really. it couldn't even handle standard playing in most of my friends cases, how on earth is it going to handle a program that requires much more processing power than the x can deliver.
sony beat you at something the general public actually cares about(some things i agree with, some i don't) and with the blu-ray chip knocking $100 off the price a lot more people will buy now. get over it.
and if microsoft actually cares about the public they will stop spending money on gaming systems that don't work to making computer systems that DO work.
*says the guy using vista*
Anyone look at the time being donated by PS3 owners, it could probably be very revealing of how owners feel about the console. I mean is anyone playing the things or did they just kick them on and forget about it while they play Wii Sports?
And I agree about Microsoft's hardware, I'm not sure leaving it on unattended is the best idea. Although if MS finds 80% or better of the consoles die while left on overnight I'm sure they'll give the project a green light - expanding the potential market for that Elite version.