Gamers crack the AIDS enzyme puzzle

[remorsless]

Aren't we a resourceful bunch? I'll let you read the article from the Sydney Morning Herald as I don't think I can do the story justice. But basicaly Gamers have done in 3 weeks what scientists have been trying to do for a decade... Does this sound like a plot from Star Gate Universe to anyone else?

http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/games/online-gamers-crack-aids-enzyme-puzzle-20110919-1kgq2.html

 

[Thaluikhain]

Um...gamers creating an accurate model of something AIDS like isn't quite as exciting as "Gamers crack the AIDS enzyme puzzle" would lead us to believe.

 

[Zhukov]

"I'm not wasting my time, I'm saving the world with my supercharged spatial reasoning skills."

Facetiousness aside, that's pretty neat. Even if they are pushing the gamer angle painfully hard.

 

[mythlover20]

Bloody awesome! It's fantastic to see that our medium, still widely demonised (especially in America and here in Aus ) is being used to solve problems plaguing the scientific community and contributing to the greater good.

It's a shame that those trying to bring us down are going to ignore this. Not surprising. But still sad.

 

[Cridhe]

Too bad that since there's no money in having a cure, there never really will be a cure.

 

[remorsless]

Um...gamers creating an accurate model of something AIDS like isn't quite as exciting as "Gamers crack the AIDS enzyme puzzle" would lead us to believe.

Ha ha, fair. The impressive part I think is the fact that they did it in such a short time!

 

[manaman]

I'm not sure someone should be taking pride in the accomplishments of others because they share a hobby. Start doing that and you can't complain when you are get lumped together for the bad as well.

 

[BryceS62]

Well it's its official gamers are the smartest people around

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

More often than not gamers are scientific, skeptic about religion, and socially reserved. All you need to throw in is some science education and you've got yourself a stereotypical scientist. I love this game by the way.

 

[Thaluikhain]

I'm not sure someone should be taking pride in the accomplishments of others because they share a hobby. Start doing that and you can't complain when you are get lumped together for the bad as well.

Oh, that's a point, yeah.

Mind you, that sort of thinking is tolerated in more or less everything else, being proud of one's race/country/religion/whatever, while choosing to distance oneself from the unpalatable bits.

 

[Duatha]

That's great!!! Honestly, i am a gamer and will be downloading this, but also...
HOW MUCH OF A MIND**** IS THAT??? Gamers find the enzyme structure that scientists have been working a freaking DECADE to solve. High five gamers

 

[remorsless]

I'm not sure someone should be taking pride in the accomplishments of others because they share a hobby. Start doing that and you can't complain when you are get lumped together for the bad as well.

That's fair but I think it depends on how you want to look at it. I like to look at "gamers" (yeah, terrible term)as a community, and it's pretty hard to argue that we aren't with online gaming and the fact that we're here having a discussion on the forums, and it's nice to be able to take pride in your community, especially when they achieve something pretty amazing. Every community has its rotten apples, it's unavoidable. Doesn?t mean you throw the baby out with the bath water.

I hope that my posting this didn't come across as me trying to make this some personal achievement of my own because I play games, but it does make me feel proud of our community.

 

[manaman]

I'm not sure someone should be taking pride in the accomplishments of others because they share a hobby. Start doing that and you can't complain when you are get lumped together for the bad as well.

That's fair but I think it depends on how you want to look at it. I like to look at "gamers" (yeah, terrible term)as a community, and it's pretty hard to argue that we aren't with online gaming and the fact that we're here having a discussion on the forums, and it's nice to be able to take pride in your community, especially when they achieve something pretty amazing. Every community has its rotten apples, it's unavoidable. Doesn?t mean you throw the baby out with the bath water.

I hope that my posting this didn't come across as me trying to make this some personal achievement of my own because I play games, but it does make me feel proud of our community.

Nah, taking pride in your community is different. Being proud of someone, or some group, for something they accomplished isn't the same as taking personal pride in the accomplishments of others.


I said that because I noticed a lot of "we"s when talking about this.

 

[remorsless]

I'm not sure someone should be taking pride in the accomplishments of others because they share a hobby. Start doing that and you can't complain when you are get lumped together for the bad as well.

That's fair but I think it depends on how you want to look at it. I like to look at "gamers" (yeah, terrible term)as a community, and it's pretty hard to argue that we aren't with online gaming and the fact that we're here having a discussion on the forums, and it's nice to be able to take pride in your community, especially when they achieve something pretty amazing. Every community has its rotten apples, it's unavoidable. Doesn?t mean you throw the baby out with the bath water.

I hope that my posting this didn't come across as me trying to make this some personal achievement of my own because I play games, but it does make me feel proud of our community.

Nah, taking pride in your community is different. Being proud of someone, or some group, for something they accomplished isn't the same as taking personal pride in the accomplishments of others.


I said that because I noticed a lot of "we"s when talking about this.

Fair enough, thanks for letting me know so I could clear it up!

 

[ChickenZombie]

Suck on that society

*enthusiastic fist pump*

But seriously, that's pretty awesome! Even if gamers didn't do this, this would be awesome.

 

[Kriptonite]

Even if they are pushing the gamer angle painfully hard.

Yea, it made me cringe a bit. I don't know why everyone tries to draw such lines between people. Apparently, people that play games (gamers) cannot be considered normal people because of their desire to play. The same goes for, apparently, people that do research (researchers). They aren't just normal people either. Well, at least the article itself was cool.

 

[Esotera]

I'm pretty sure that science had a decent idea of HIV's structure before this, so I'm not sure what the article's trying to say. How did they actually recreate the model, by luck?

Too bad that since there's no money in having a cure, there never really will be a cure.

I wouldn't say that. Current treatments give sufferers a lifespan nearly equivalent to what they would have had without the virus.