Tech Forum

Hello, I wanted to mention something about the clerks computers. They do sit there most of the week doing nothing. Since the church does support the temporal needs of members I was wondering if the clerk's computer could be used while it is in its downtime to run a program called World Community Grid. You can find out more information at http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/. Scientific research is broken down in packets and sent to volunteers computers. While the computer is running the screensaver it runs calculations on those packets. When it completes those packets the results are sent back. The research helps solve some of mankinds pressing needs. They can't always get enough time on the mainframe to make the calculations so the only way to complete the research is to do it this way. I have never gotten a virus doing these calculations and I am not behind a firewall. Also it benifits mankind. I have it on all my computers. The only technical difficulty might be getting the packets off there server. There should be a list on the web site of what projects theyhave worked on. Thank you for any consideration.
Bro. Kimbrough

A couple of issues: Most clerk computers are off or at least in a sleep state. To run this, the clerk's computer would have to be left on and awake. Depending on the location, it could overheat and shorten it's lifespan since there is no HVAC during most days of the week.

Then there's the Meetinghouse Technology Policy

4.5.1 Computers with MLS installed must be used only for authorized gospel-related purposes as approved by the stake president.

4.13.2 Only Church-approved, licensed software is permitted for installation on Church computers.

As worthy a project it might be, I don't know as any of the projects would pass this test.

Hello, Thank you for your response. No it would not meet church standards. Given that, let me answer your comments. I was wondering if the data off the clerks computer shouldn't be stored on a cloud on a LDS server somewhere anyway. They are connected to the internet so that would not increase there vulnerability? Would the cloud be more secure? We have intermittent electrical service which is solved with a battery backup. I realize that not everybody has a battery backup but I put all my electrical equipment on surge protectors or battery backup and shouldn't that be church policy since we invest so much money in our equipment? I consider them standard equipment just like an external drive for backup. The computers we use are also only supposed to be used for five years and then recycled. Our computers are a lot older than that so what are we protecting? Outdated and unsupported computers anyway? So, they usually become obsolete before they break(Mine do). Also, Isn't it the welfare of mankind our business? Usually we think of it as a spiritual matter but is it not a temporal one as well? I would add again that they are just sitting there. I am not trying to buck and argue against the church and it's policies. All I ask is that it be considered for a policy change even if it is rejected. A forum is for an exchange of ideas and not all of them are good ideas. The cloud, the battery backups, the science I happen to think might be good ones.
Thank you for reading.
Bro. Kimbrough
A new MeetingHouse Technology Specialist and Asst. Stake Technology Specialist

ilikesci wrote:All I ask is that it be considered for a policy change even if it is rejected.

The forum is primarily other users like yourself. While a few employees do visit here, I doubt if any of them are at the policy-level. Mostly implementers. So while the forum is a good place to try out ideas, it's not a good place to advocate for policy change. The idea needs to get in front of the Priesthood Committee.