This paper describes how it is possible to increase GP Computing Power via Volunteer Computing (VC) using the BOINC framework. Two experiments using well-known GP tools -Lil-gp & ECJare performed in order to demonstrate the benefit of using VC in terms of computing power and speed up. Finally we present an extension of the model where any GP tool or framework can be used inside BOINC regardless...

We propose and test a framework of the antecedents of contribution in two technology-mediated citizen science projects, with different degrees of task granularity. Comparing earlier findings on the motivations of volunteers in a web-based image analysis project (high granularity), with new findings on the motivations of volunteers in a volunteer computing project (low granularity), we found tha...

This paper explores the relationship between voluntary sector and governance using England as a case study. One of the key issues in recent times is how voluntary organizations sustain themselves. Although the spate of studies have undoubtedly advanced the state of knowledge about voluntary organisations, we still know very little about the internal composition and operation of volunteer organi...

Fifteen semistructured interviews were conducted with 20 parents (n = 5 with both parents; n = 10 with mother only) of disabled children who had a range of physical and learning difficulties, to explore what information they had received about their child's disabilities, from whom and whether they had found it useful. Information needs were also explored. The interviews were audiotaped and tran...

This paper presents the Virtual EZ Grid project, based on the XtremWeb-CH (XWCH) volunteer computing platform. The goal of the project is to introduce a flexible distributed computing system, with (i) a non-trivial number of computing resources infrastructure from various institutes, (ii) a stable platform that manages these computing resources and provides advanced interfaces for applications,...

This paper attempts to explore the role of the internet in the processes of organization and mobilization of the ‘movement for alternative globalization’, which is often characterized as an ‘internet-based movement’. It reports the findings of a survey undertaken in the Paris 2003 European Social Forum (ESF), which asked 257 respondents about the contexts that mobilized them to participate in t...

This study focused on the role of volunteer work for daily recovery from work. In a 1-week diary study with 166 employees, we assessed the amount of time spent on volunteer work during leisure time, and the recovery facets of psychological detachment from work (i.e., mentally switching off from work), mastery experiences (i.e., pursuing challenging activities), and community experiences (i.e., ...

The paper completes the work started in the EU FP7 EDGI project for extending service grids with volunteer (global) and institutional (local) desktop grids. The Generic BOINC Application Client (GBAC) concept described in the paper enables the transparent and automatic forwarding of parameter sweep application (parametric) jobs from service grid VOs (Virtual Organizations) into connected deskto...

BACKGROUND A future influenza pandemic will require greater demand on numerous essential services and a reduced capacity to meet that demand. Recruitment of volunteers is an important issue for pre-pandemic planning. OBJECTIVES To identify factors and attitudes towards volunteerism in the event of a pandemic of influenza. PARTICIPANTS/METHODS A 42-item web-questionnaire was administered to ...

This paper presents and discusses the idea of Web-based volunteer computing, which allows people to cooperate in solving a large parallel problem by using standard Web browsers to volunteer their com-puters' processing power. Because volunteering requires no prior human contact and very little technical knowledge, it becomes very easy to build very large volunteer computing networks. At its ful...