HowTo: Joining the PCMech RC5 Team

[Floppyman]

Hi all,

If you ever been interesting in joining the pcmech RC5 cracking team and don't know I'll try to explain it here. Remember if you find the winning key there's money in it for you and for our team..and what better way to improve pcmech by just letting our computers do the work.

1. Go to http://www.distributed.net and download the client for your respective operating system. What I mean by that is that if you are running linux download the linux client...if you're running windows download the windows client. Here's the exact link: http://www.distributed.net/download/clients.html

2. Install the client.

3. Configure the client. Notice: You must have a valid email address because once you want to join the team your password will be emailed to you and you need it to join the team. It also keeps track of your statistics. For more information or if you are having trouble configuring the client see: http://n0cgi.distributed.net/faq/cache/1.html

4. Let the client run for 24hrs and submit your first blocks. Then periodically check to see if your stats are listed at the distributed.net statistics site yet. After an update for the day has been completed and if you have submitted blocks that day before the update you should be listed in the statistics within the next day or two.

5. Check your statistics here: http://stats.distributed.net/rc5-64/
Type your email in under participant stats and if you are listed you are set to go. Click the link on the bottom that says: "Please email me my password".

6. Within 10 minutes you should receive your password and your are set to join our team. Once you have your password go here: http://stats.distributed.net/rc5-64...php3?team=13738
Click the "I want to join this team" and fill out the information. BTW your username is your email address.

7. There ya go that's it..any blocks you submit now will be counted for our pcmech RC5 team. If you have any questions feel free to post below.

Also if you are interested for the code of the graphic in my signature let me know.

[pcoopers]

I'm totally lost, Floppy.

What is RC5, why is it coded, and why do we care if anyone decodes it?

Is this a hacker/cracker thingy? Or just a contest? I looked at the page you provided link to, it all went over my head.

[Floppyman]

Hi Paul,

The way I understand it, it is trying to to crack a code, by trying different "keys". It's perfectly legal and it's only a contest. The thing is if you are on the winning team and/or you find the winning key that cracks the code you win some money. RC5 is just another distributed computing project, just like SETI@home if you've ever heard of it. Hope this helps and let me know if you have more q's.

[pcoopers]

Okay Floppyman,

I'll have to look at this stuff.

I had an impression that SETI was a scientific thing, with an objective in mind, that is, to locate signs of intelligent life elsewhere in the universe. Right so far? And people volunteer computer time to assist in the endeavor.

RC5 I've never heard of, probably something potentially useful?

I'll look when I find the time. Right now I have so many things going, I'll probly put it off awhile.

thanks

[whr2206]

Could someone tell me what this RC5 team is all about??

[HAL9000]

It's over anyway. It was a distributed computing project to try and break 64bit encryption.

[jalbes]

Are we gonna start up another distributed computing project?

Let me know, I want in!

jalbes

[Floppyman]

Hopefully we can set up another team once RC5-72 starts. Does anyone know when it will start? TIA.

[Floppyman]

Being that I got no reply from anyone I guess as soon as I'm able I'll start a Pcmech team. Any objections?

[Floppyman]

The old team is still up. I'm not 100 percent sure, but I think if you start up RC5-72 and were part of the Pcmech team prior to RC5-72, you're still part of the team. BTW, for those wondering, the process of downloading the client and joining the team hasn't changed.