The Bovine RC5-64 Effort: http://www.distributed.net/
MacOS client v2.002
“Padre Emanuele turned his cylinders and searched through his drawers,
fast as a conjuror, so the metaphors seemed to arise for him as if by
enchantment, without anyone's noticing the mechanical gasping that
produced them. But he was still not satisfied.”
—Umberto Eco
Contacts
MacOS Help:
RC5-Mac Website <http://www.distributed-mac.net/>
Nate Begeman, Keeper of the FAQ and Docs <bacchus@netrus.net>
RC5Mac mailing list: This is a mailing list run by Shea Tisdale that is for
discussion related to the MacOS RC5 client. New and experienced
users are welcome. To join do the following: send a message to
<listserv@galactus.signalinc.com> with the text "subscribe rc5mac"
in the body of the message.
Cool MacOS games and 3D things:
Antennahead Industries, Inc. <http://www.antennahead.com/>
General RC5 help:
Support and questions not specific to the Mac client: <rc5help@slacker.com>
Distributed.Net <http://www.distributed.net/> is running the RC5 challenge.
Statistics are available at <http://rc5stats.distributed.net/>.
Music to listen to while cracking RC5:
Killing Floor <http://www.morphine.com/~cvoid/kf_home.html> and
other Re-Constriction <http://www.fiu.edu/~wjones01/recon.html> bands.
Klute, Leætherstip, and anything else featuring Claus Larsen:
<http://www.leaetherstrip.com/>
Client Developers:
Overall client architecture and original Unix programming:
Adam L. Beberg <beberg@distributed.net>
Assistant client design and network layer:
Jeff Lawson <jlawson@hmc.edu>
MacOS client stuff:
Andrew Meggs <insect@antennahead.com>
64-bit RC5 Client Release Notes
v2.002: December 5, 1997
* New PowerPC optimizations courtesy of Dan Oetting. Thanks, Dan!
* 603-specific core is now reenabled, but it might be superseded
by Dan's work -- don't worry, the individual cores are tested
at runtime and the fastest one for your system will be selected
regardless.
* Generates buffer files compatible with non-Mac clients.
* Increased default memory size to avoid possible problem with
680x0 Macs. PowerPC users might be able to reduce this back
to 300k without trouble.
* Increased buffer limit to 1000 blocks. When will it end? :)
* Graphs update when closed with close box.
v2.001+: October 28, 1997
* Fixed network bug where it could still sometimes connect to
the 56-bit port on the proxies.
* Calmed down key rate indicator.
* Test to prevent accidentally entering a team email address rather
than a personal email address is now case insensitive.
* Included Nate's revised documentation for 64-bit client.
v2.001: October 23, 1997
[ Based on 56-bit RC5 Client 2.005 final, but hastily done so expect bugs. ]
* Converted 3 of the cores to 64-bit RC5. 603 (but not 603e) is
still to be done, so it will run less than optimal on those
machines.
* Revised network protocol to speak 64-bit keys. The 64-bit servers
aren't completely stable yet, so I quadrupled the default number
of network retries.
* Added AppleEvents for Fetch, Flush, go On- and Off-line to make
the client more scriptable.
* Auto-install of alias in Startup Items folder (with user
permission, of course).
* Changed text in dialogs to tell people to enter THEIR email
address rather than a team's. Detects if you don't read and
say your email address is evangelist@apple.com or
clones4mac@aol.com. Team assignment will be handled on the
statistics web page; see <http://rc5stats.distributed.net/>.
* Green.
56-bit RC5 Client Release Notes
v2.005: October 13, 1997
* [Change since the 2.005b6 public beta] Fixed up code that would
sometimes cause events to be dropped by other applications when
the client was in the background.
* Three levels of control over how much time the client gives to
other programs -- see the "MacOS Settings..." dialog. The
first setting (System & Other Apps) is equivalent to 2.004 and
is the Mac-friendly way. The second setting (System Tasks
Only) locks out other programs completely when the RC5
client is frontmost. The third setting (Nothing Else) also locks
out drivers and extensions, and is roughly equivalent to a more
compatible form of the RC5 Speedup extension that's been
floating around. The RC5 Speedup extension is not
recommended for use with version 2.005 and beyond.
For consistency with older versions, the first choice (System & Other
Apps) is the default. Unless you need other programs to do work
in the background, try the second setting (System Tasks Only) for
a performance boost. Going to the third setting will only improve
speed over the second if you've got extensions that consume a
lot of time, in which case you might want to identify and remove
them since they're slowing down ALL programs on your Mac.
These settings apply only when the client is in the foreground;
when it's in the background or performing network operations
it always gives time to both the System and other applications.
You should be aware that file sharing runs as an
invisible application, so if you don't give time
to other applications then file sharing may not work.
* Fixed "freeze" (actually just a very, very long pause) during
network operations if there were problems connecting to a proxy.
* Real window management, including the ability to remember
window positions and to close the status window.
* First-time users get a simplified dialog asking for just their email
rather than being confronted with the full Network Config dialog.
* Client checks for all user activity, instead of just mouse
movement, before deciding the computer is idle.
* Corrected slowdown on 603 (not 603e) machines that occurred
with 2.004.
* Streamlined control flow for performance. No longer requires
the Thread Manager.
* Better logging of blocks transferred so far if a network
connection is aborted.
* Marginally (under 1%) better 68k code.
* Uses background timeslice setting during a flush or fetch for
best network throughput, even if the client is in the foreground.
* Does a special check of output buffer size on startup instead
of waiting for its sizes to be checked when a block is put into
or taken out of a buffer.
* Better detection if the user swaps in a different buffer file.
* Distinct file types (and icons) for buff-in and buff-out.
* Switching to offline mode or quitting during a fetch or flush
ends the network operation.
v2.004: August 15, 1997
Note: I've completely hijacked the MacOS client and am developing it independently of the Unix version. This client is NOT equivalent to the Unix 2.004, or any other version. It grew out of the MacOS port of the 2.002 source and doesn't reflect changes made over on the other side since then. On the other hand, it has a lot of things they won't get until 2.005 or 2.006, if at all.
— Andrew
* New PowerPC key cruncher runs about another 8-10% faster
(over 2.002) on 603e and 604 systems. I didn't improve the 68k
code any this time, but I still can do more with it later. In case
you're wondering, the reason 601 performance isn't going up
any is that my original assembly in 2.000 was tuned for the 601
and there just isn't much room for improvement.
* Can buffer up to 500 blocks instead of 50.
* Email address now defaults to evangelist@apple.com. :)
* Cosmetic about box changes including pictures of the team.
* Better display of buffer file status.
* Multithreaded to fetch and flush blocks while keys are being
checked. Client now REQUIRES the Thread Manager.
* Does a "preemptive fetch" when the input buffer gets low
instead of waiting until you need a block and then stalling.
* Random blocks actually work.
* Offline mode.
v2.002 changes
* Semi-optimized for G3 (as much as possible without some "help" from
Apple Seeding), and runs 5-15% faster on 603 and 604 systems
* Runs up to 3 times faster than 2.000 on 68k systems
* Menu items to Flush and Fetch key blocks
* Larger text areas in dialog boxes so people with bigger fonts can read the entire text.
* Copied over most relevant 2.002 patches from the Unix client:
+ random keys if client can't connect
+ flush checks count before opening connection
+ httpd fixed - checked under CERN and WinProxy
+ miscellaneous other bug fixes
v2.000 initial release
* Took the Unix RC5 client, chopped it into little pieces, and embedded the
pieces inside the DESCHALL/MacOS client. Crude but effective.
