| GCP (EGG) Software |
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This page provides current information on the requirements and
the software used for the data collection network.
PLEASE NOTE: We are now seeking egg hosts mainly in areas other than the United
States and Europe.
But let me know if you are interested in hosting, in case we
continue to enlarge the network. To host an "egg", which is our working name for an outlying data generation site for the Global Consciousness Project network, you need a specific type of hardware random event generator which we can supply, and the egg-site software. The software requires a computer running Linux or Windows NT/2000/XP/Vista/Windows 7. (Win 8 hasn't been tested.) The computer must run continuously, and it is best to have a continuous (broadband) connection to the internet. If a dialup is used it must be automated to connect at least once per day for a total of 30 minutes per day. The computer clock must be synchronized to the correct time by an automatic process to keep the data from all eggs properly time-stamped. If you use the Internet Time Synchronization in Windows XP or Vista you should download and run the InternetTimeUpdate program to set it to do an update daily. (The default is weekly, and PC clocks tend to lose or gain several seconds in that time.) There is more information in a recent Update note on clock synchronization. The program
you will run is called eggsh in Linux and
egg.exe in Windows.
It is designed to keep a proper pace without taking priority CPU time,
and there should be no trouble or competition with other use of your
machine, including light or moderate webservice. It is necessary
for your machine to be running the NTP software or
the Windows Internet Time
synchronization or
some other program to keep its clock synchronized with a stable time source.
IMPORTANT: If the EGG computer is behind a firewall,
it must be programmed to forward UDP packets on port 2510 outgoing
and port 1105 incoming. Your router must also be
programmed for UDP forwaring. This allows the bidirectional
communication required for the data to be transmitted. What
happens is that your program sends an "awake" packet when it
has unsent data. The server in Princeton responds with a "data
request" packet, and then the EGG program will send the data.
Three REG devices are available. They all plug into a serial port. One (ORION) is designed for a 25 pin serial port, and an adaptor is needed to plug into a 9 pin port; the others (PEAR PortREG, Mindsong) plug directly into a 9 pin port. Be sure to send your postal mailing address for shipping the REG if you plan to become a host. We now have a USB random number generator from ARANEUS, and the Linux software to use it is available (below). No Windows software for the Araneus is yet available.
Below are links to obtain software for hosting an egg. Read
the README for a little more information.
The GCP software is Free Software, under the terms of the
GNU General Public License.
You can write to Roger Nelson
with questions.
You should download the file to a directory where you wish to install
and run the software.
Please Note:
We now have an updated software package that is designed to run on
either 32-bit or 64-bit Linux operating systems, thanks to John Walker.
There is also 64-bit compatible software in the Debian package.
(If you run the normal 32-bit software in a 64-bit system,
it will generate bad data.)
Please Note:
We have moved the GCP database and archiving system to a new server with a different name and address. Egg hosts using Linux and the eggsh program will need to edit the .eggrc configuration file to change the line that now says
BASKET noosphere 128.112.35.133 or 64.7.11.43
The new version of this line should say
BASKET noosphere 162.245.217.130
If you have any problem making this change, please send an email. There are simple text editors available on linux systems, and we can help you find and use one.
The package
egg_64.tar.gz
is the current version of the software for Linux operating systems.
The program you need is "eggsh".
You may also wish to download the "eggware.tgz" tarball, which includes a
sample configuration file and a little instruction, as well
as a small test program called regtest. Note that its "eggsh" program is
only for 32-bit systems.
For USB devices the
Araneus
version of the software is available in a small tarball
called "araneusware.tgz" which
contains the executable "eggsh" program, the model
configuration file called eggrc.sample.araneus,
and the README and README_ARANEUS instruction files.
(Note that the BASKET line in the model may have the old IP address. It now
must read "BASKET noosphere 64.7.11.43" without quotes.)
If you need the source code, it is available at the same link.
For a general example of the configuration file, see
.eggrc (and
also read the paragraph below on configuration).
The installation is described in
general instructions
intended to help hosts with the setup, internet connections, and
time synchronization.
A useful tool for linux users:
Doug Piercy developed some scripts
that monitor eggsh, and restart it if it is not running.
A version of the eggsh program that does not give any runtime feedback,
and so does not need a window, is available. This
nogui eggsh
can be used in situations where an automatic startup after a reboot is
necessary (compiled under RedHat 6.0; not thoroughly tested).
For those running Debian Linux, a package with the GCP egg software
is included in Debian 2.2, and can be found
at www.debian.org. The
direct link is
gcpegg.
If you have a different Linux or UNIX, you can
compile from the source code in the egg_64.tar.gz package.
A very simple testing
program that takes 200-bit trials in batches of 200, and displays them
and their mean value is available here.
The configuration file,
.eggrc, will
require editing to insert a name for your
EGG, your IP address
and the unique ID number for the REG device.
I will give you the ID number, and we should discuss a pleasing name for
the egg, preferably including your country suffix. We also need to specify your time zone, and we
need your geographic location, which you can find
with acceptable accuracy using this
locator site.
Send an approximate altitude for your location too.
(NOTE: The Egg.exe program you can download here may still have the old
server address. After you install it, please download and run the
NewBasket.exe program. There is more information
below.)
A program by Paul Bethke, created originally for Windows NT and
Windows 2000 is available. It
also runs successfully on Windows XP and
Windows 95 and 98. It is also compatible with
Vista and Windows 7 if you run it as Administrator.
The program, called
EGG.exe can be downloaded, along with
Instructions
which should get you up and running.
Please read the instructions carefully before you install
EGG.exe. Note that you must run Egg.exe as
Administrator if your OS is Vista or Windows 7.
There is a small test program to see if the Egg is connected properly
and generating good data. It is a zip file that can be downloaded as
REGTest.zip.
We now have a USB based REG/RNG which looks to Windows OS like a Serial
device so the normal EGG.exe software can be used with it. To use the
TrueRNG device you will need to download and install a Windows driver.
The configuration parameters will be
The Egg ID number, which you will get from GCP
You can find out what COM port is assigned in the device manager when you plug in the USB stick (the TrueRNG). You also can learn the COM port by downloading and running the rngcapture program.
More information and instructions can be found in the TrueRNG manual.
As always, we are available to help.
We have moved the GCP database and archiving system to a new
server with a different name and address. After Egg.exe is installed
you will need to run
a program to change the server address in your registry. Please
download NewBasket.exe to C:\GCP. Please run it in a Command Prompt window after
downloading it. On Windows Vista and Windows 7 the Command
Prompt window has to be run as Administrator.
During setup you will be asked for three items: The EGG ID
number, the type of REG, and what COM port you are using.
See the Instructions for details.
I will give you the ID number, and we should discuss a pleasing name for
the egg, preferably including your country suffix.
We also need to specify your time zone, and
your geographic location, which you can find
with acceptable accuracy using this
locator site.
A program for reconfiguring your egg if that is necessary is available at
EGGConfig.exe.
For a program to keep your clock synchronized in Win 95 or 98, you can try
AtomTime98 or
Dimension 4.
A built-in timekeeper is included in newer versions of
Windows, including XP and Vista.
If you use the Internet Time Synchronization in Windows XP or Vista
you should download and run the InternetTimeUpdate program
to set it to do an update daily. (The default is weekly, and
PC clocks tend to lose or gain several seconds in that time.)
There is more information in a recent Update note on clock
synchronization.
If you need help with the process, get in touch with
Roger Nelson.
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