Contributing your Mac’s idle processing power to the OpenMacGrid is very easy. However, before you do so, please make sure that your Mac has at least:

256 MB of Memory,
1 GB of available hard disk space,
G4 or better CPU and
Running Mac OS 10.4 (Tiger) or Mac OS 10.5 (Leopard).

Simply follow the steps outlined below to connect to the OpenMacGrid as an Xgrid agent.

  • (1) Open System Preferences using the Apple menu as shown below:
  • (2) Next, click on Sharing that usually appears in the third row of the window. Please make sure you enter a unique name for your Mac, because Xgrid can get confused with different computers having the same name. Maybe you could enter your own full name in that field.
  • (3) Click on Xgrid, but don’t check the corresponding box just yet. Instead click on the Configure button.
  • (4) A drop down sheet should as shown below. Now, click on Use a specific controller and enter openmacgrid.macresearch.org in the text field, as shown. You can either choose to contribute CPUs only when your computer is idle or always. Then click Done.
  • (5) Now you should be back to the Sharing panel. Choose Password in the drop down menu and enter macresearch in the corresponding text field.
  • (6) We’re almost done. Turn Xgrid sharing on as shown below. If you want to be able to contribute CPU at night too, you should also change the settings in the Energy Saver preference panel to prevent your computer from going to sleep.
  • (7) Optional: Please send us a message (email: [email protected]) with the unique name you used in (2) above and a contact email address.

That should do it! Congratulations, you have now joined the OpenMacGrid by contributing an Xgrid agent. The MacResearch community thanks you for your contribution.

DISCLAIMER:

By contributing an agent to OpenMacGrid you recognize that third parties will be running software applications on your system. MacResearch.org, will make every attempt to ensure that third party applications are safe for execution on contributed systems (agents), but in no way will MacResearch.org or its affiliates be held liable for any damage to your system resulting from participation in OpenMacGrid. It is the responsibility of the person contributing the agent to ensure that they have permission to use the system in such a fashion.

By submitting a computation project, you recognize that your software will be running on third party systems. The potential, therefore, exists that a third party will be able to obtain your application and run it independent of the project or in a manner not intended for the original use. Should this occur you agree that MacResearch.org will not be held liable for any damage or loss of intellectual property.

OPENMACGRID IS PROVIDED BY MACRESEARCH.ORG “AS IS” AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL MACRESEARCH.ORG OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF OPENMACGRID, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.