Quick Return Bonus (QRB) Plan Qualification

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• Introduction

The Quick Return Bonus (QRB) also known as Bonus points was first implemented with tthe SMP2 Beta Client and will eventually be implemented for other clients. It is now being applied to some projects for the Uniprocessor client. It encourages you to return the WU (Work Unit) as quickly as possible by rewarding you points which increases rapidly the faster you return any WU before its Preferred Deadline (Details). The reason is that WUs returned quickly are more scientifically valuable as they allow important research to progress faster.

• Requirements For QBR

In order for Donors to take advantage of Bonus Points, there are some basic requirements which one must meet:
1) Use SMP2 Beta Client v6.3X or higher (Details).
2) Configure the Client with a Passkey (Details).
3) Successfully fold 10 QRB designated WUs (FahCore_a3, etc.) before their preferred deadline by using the same combination of Username and passkey.
4) Maintain a successful return rate of >=80% for QRB WUs, i.e. out of every 10 QRB WUs assigned, you must return at least 8 of them.

• Formula For QRB

Once the Username/Passkey combination has successfully been qualified for Bonus Points, they will be calculated by this formula:
final_points = base_points * max(1,sqrt(k*deadline_length/elapsed_time))
The max(1,...) ensures that final_points are never lower than base_points.

The above formula is converted to Points Per Day (PPD) as follows:
ppd = base_ppd * speed_ratio * max(1,sqrt(x*speed_ratio))
where speed_ratio is the machine speed relative to the Core i5, and x = k * deadline_length

• Failure To Get QRB

Despite fulfilling all the requirements for QRB, if you are not getting bonus points, it could be because:
1) The assigned WU wasn't uploaded before the Preferred Deadline.
2) A change occurred to the passkey and/or username after the WU was assigned.
3) The username/passkey combination used has yet to qualified for QRB as it didn't finish 10 QRB WUs.
4) Total number of WUs that have not been returned exceed 20% of your assigned WUs.
5) The WU that was returned was incomplete, e.g. EARLY_UNIT_ENDED, UNSTABLE_MACHINE, etc. (Details)

Please note that 3rd party tools do their best to estimate how many points you will receive when a WU is completed. Actual points are based entirely on the information that the server receives, which may include information that 3rd party tools cannot know. 3rd party tools assume that you'll finish the WU successfully (which may not happen) and that the current rate of production (which may change) will be continued up to 100% and that the result will be successfully uploaded immediately thereafter.

• Troubleshooting QRB

Despite fulfilling all the requirements for QRB, if you are not getting bonus points, you may check:
1) Are there any typos in the username and/or passkey?
2) Is the username/passkey combination qualified for the QRB?
3) Are any of your clients producing errors which may have caused you to fall below the 80% WU return rate?
4) Are you finishing the WU before the Preferred Deadline?
5) Is the Client properly configured?

• Useful Links

Folding@home Passkey FAQ
Passkey form
Brief Overview Of SMP2 Client
SMP2 Detailed Installation Guide
SMP2 Pictorial Guide
V7 Beta Pictorial Guide

I would like to thank the following people: bruce, codysluder, kasson, PantherX