Having just gone through another blitz of Einstein work on one of my computers, which resulted in some of the tasks being returned late and in me aborting others (one of which still hasn't been reassigned about 20 hours later), I had an idea: a button to ask the project server for a deadline extension.

This would be something that would happen *only* manually. In effect, it would tell the server "Yes, I, the human owner of this computer, am actively paying attention to Boinc and this project, I am aware that this task is about to reach its deadline, but I think that with just a little more time I can get it done." It would absolutely NOT be an automatic function of Boinc Manager and I hope no third party Boinc management GUI would automate it either. On the server end, it would probably be coded to only allow one extension per task, for a relatively short time (maybe two days maximum). The server might even limit a user or host on the number of extensions granted, and reduce that number if extended tasks trend to timing out anyway.

Just a thought.

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It's not up to the user to define the deadlines, that's up to the project. It's their data, their science, thus their decision to give you that many days or hours for returning that work.

And if you cannot, for whatever reason, then BOINC its built-in fail-safe will take over, for work that isn't returned by the deadline, will be sent out again to another system that may be able to return it within time.

If there would be an option available for this, it would be misused up the wazoo, for why not increase the deadline so much that it's 5 years in the future on all your work? Give people a finger...

Now, of course, if this option were to be implemented, let's put something against it. For each time you request that the deadline is increased, pay 50,000 BOINC credit.

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It's not up to the user to define the deadlines, that's up to the project. It's their data, their science, thus their decision to give you that many days or hours for returning that work.

I understand all that. Used properly (not abused) this feature would help projects by not sending WUs out to third hosts and waiting for them to finish when the original just needs a few more hours. Projects could also disable the extension request function if they want to.

And if you cannot, for whatever reason, then BOINC its built-in fail-safe will take over, for work that isn't returned by the deadline, will be sent out again to another system that may be able to return it within time.

That aborted Einstein task I mentioned in the first post still hasn't been sent to another host, now nearly two days later. If I could have asked for an extension on that one, it would be done by now. For that matter, if I hadn't aborted it and let it return late, it would be done by now. I'd have gotten credit for it (as would my wingman) and Einstein's database would have purged it. Now the data file will probably have to be sent to another host, just to crunch that one task. (No good deed ever goes unpunished. - Ferengi Rule of Acquisition #285)

If there would be an option available for this, it would be misused up the wazoo, for why not increase the deadline so much that it's 5 years in the future on all your work? Give people a finger...

That's why I suggested the restrictions: one request per task, limited total requests, reduce that limit if they still don't get done...).

Now, of course, if this option were to be implemented, let's put something against it. For each time you request that the deadline is increased, pay 50,000 BOINC credit.

No one would use it then, ever. They'd be giving up more credit than they'd get by completing the task.

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You can also request extensions at the project. If they are not swift at responding, that is on them. RNA has auto extension built into their VM work units and used to manually adjust them when requested. Perhaps if this is a problem, other projects could take note.