wiki:PrefsRemodel

Version 1 (modified by davea, 13 years ago) (diff)

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Remodel of computing preferences

Problems with the current system

  • Too complex: non-technical users see lots of prefs, with technical descriptions that many don't understand.
  • Not complex enough: many reasonable policies can't be expressed, such as different CPU throttling or network bandwidth limit as a function of time of day or user active.
  • Inconsistency between manager GUI and web interface.
  • Code complexity, especially in web code.

This document proposes a redesign of the prefs system

Top-level interface

The top-level interface should consist of four choices:

  • Standard
  • Maximum computing
  • Energy-saver
  • Custom

The first 3 would be predefined sets of prefs; e.g. Energy-saver would compute only when active, and would do CPU throttling.

Custom prefs

Prefs can be classified as

  • dynamic: those that might change from one moment to the next, e.g. based on activity or time of day. This include:
    • Do computing?
    • Do GPU computing?
    • Suspend computing if CPU usage above X
    • Leave suspended tasks in memory
    • Use at most X% of processors
    • CPU throttling
    • Checkpoint interval
    • Limit on swap space usage
    • Limit on RAM usage
    • Use network?
    • max download and upload rates
  • static: those that don't change
    • "In use" time interval
    • Disk prefs (max use GB, max use %, min free GB)
    • Network connection interval
    • Additional work parameter
    • Transfer at most X MB every N days
    • skip image file verification

The following could be either static or dynamic; I'd prefer to make them static.

  • Suspend work while on batteries?
  • CPU scheduling period
  • Confirm before connecting to Internet?
  • Disconnect when done?

Let's call a set of dynamic prefs a configuration.

Venues

Implementation

Possible additions

The BOINC client config file (cc_config.xml) has some items that maybe should be prefs. These include:

Dynamic:

  • exclusive apps
  • exclusive GPU apps

Static:

  • report results immediately

Possible deletions

Does anyone actually use the following? They could be moved to cc_config.xml

  • "In use" interval (2 minutes should be OK)
  • CPU scheduling period
  • leave apps in memory (should default to No)
  • Checkpoint interval
  • Limit on swap space usage
  • network connection interval and work buffer (these should by computed automatically based on actual behavior)