EternityII puzzle

[russkris]

http://eternity2.net/eternity2image.gif

About Eternity2.net
Eternity2.net is an exciting new project that uses Internet-connected computers to try to solve the EternityII™ (http://www.eternityii.com/) puzzle.
You can participate by downloading and running a free program on your computer. This program is hosted by the BOINC (http://boinc.berkeley.edu/) framework - the same reliable, secure framework that is used for a large number of other distributed projects. (such as seti@home). The BOINC framework ensures you can contribute your CPU cycles in a safe manner, within the parameters that you specify.
Eternity2.net is organised by Dave Clark in Auckland, New Zealand, when he isn't working or spending time with his wife and two young children.
Frequently Asked Questions FAQ (http://eternity2.net/faq.php).
Contact us at eternity2 dot net at gmail dot com .
Useful links. (http://eternity2.net/links.php)
Prize Money
The EternityII™ puzzle has a US$2,000,000 prize for the first correct solution. See the official EternityII™ website.
If your computer solves the puzzle first, you will win (http://eternity2.net/share.php) $1,000,000!



http://eternity2.net/index.php

[russkris]

If anyone has crunched this project let us know

[umccullough]

Problem with this project: Legally requires purchasing the retail game (~$50 USD here, even more in Europe) and plugging in the piece information in order to crunch.

While that's not necessarily a "barrier" to participate, it's questionable whether this applies properly to the DC-Vault rules.

[KAMCOBILL]

I've been crunching without puzzle so far and getting credits.

[umccullough]

How? I don't understand this project - it appears to be somewhat mis-stated.

The FAQ clearly states that you must manually enter in all the puzzle piece configurations in order for your machine to crunch work (in your name anyway).

Of course, the FAQ may be wrong/incorrect, and the server may be handing out the work pre-configured around the pieces - but at that point, we're doing nothing more than solving this puzzle for the author of the software, and not for ourselves... I guess I'm not interested in participating in that case.

I also waited half a day and got no work... so I figured it was because I never put in the information.

[KAMCOBILL]

I'm not sure how all it actually works. If you buy the puzzle, I think you can solve it manually. and get the 2M. How long would it take is the question.

I think if you use the computer program, You share 50/50 but should be faster.

Check out http://www.eternityii.com/ the offical site for more info.

[umccullough]

I actually did completely read eternityii.com - which is why I decided *not* to buy the game myself actually.

If you read the process by which they will select a winner - it clearly states that they will not actually check any solutions they receive until December 31, 2008 - at which point they will start opening solutions in the order by which they were received.

For all we know, the solution was mailed in months ago - and that person will receive the prize. They've chosen not to release this info because it will obviously prevent anyone from purchasing the puzzle as soon as everyone knows the solution has been submitted.

Furthermore, they claim there are 1000s of possible solutions, but only one is the right one - thus even if someone claims to have solved it, they can claim that it may not be the official solution.

All of the FAQ centered around putting in your piece descriptions talks about submitting your answers to the server and waiting for a receipt declaring that you have found the solution - this indicates that you are *not* running it on your own, but only participating in the DC project when you enter your own pieces. The claim is that the author of the software gets at least 50% because you're using his software - and this is why it submits to the server - I have to assume that if you're not putting the pieces in yourself, you're not getting a piece of the pie... distributing the descriptions of the pieces to the computers on the other end is a violation of the copyright per the FAQ on the eternity2.com site - and therefore I suspect something extremely fishy is occurring here.

Of course, we could ask the author directly - but I think this project is a lost cause.

[KAMCOBILL]

Know what you mean. I'm crunching for fun.

I figured out piece 139 as the clue and there is only 4 positions it can be turned. so I created my 2 text files.

If I buy it I solve it manually because I'm greedy. :D

I think It's a very good sales promotion though.

[umccullough]

I gave this project another shot since it appears to hand out work regardless of whether I have purchased the puzzle or not (it appears the FAQ has been changed to be slightly more vague about the legalities).

It still gives me compute error on every WU my WinXP AMD64 X2 5600+ attempts to complete.

[umccullough]

According to the site news, they are closing down. Email was received from the site admin stating that someone may take over the site... but honestly I think this project is a go-nowhere project and thus, not a good option for the Vault anyway.

In the email, the admin states that he doesn't believe the puzzle will ever be solved using brute-force (in other words, not by the due date required to win the money).