Quote from: viperjbm on August 10, 2011, 06:49:56 PM

Would it be possible to replace random hashing calculations with say real world distributed computer calculation processing such as is from the BOINC client, World Community Grid or Folding@Home?

If so how difficult would the change be?

Maybe modifying the BTC miners to register to these projects as a common Bitcoin processor for all of these projects simultaneously, injecting the packet processing into standard block processing etc.

I am thinking if this is possible this alone could be a HUGE boost to bitcoin (and bitcoin like) currencies as you greatly expand your interested client base and appeal to individual humanitarian causes as well as natural profiteering and liberty minded individuals.

In all likelihood we would likely pick up dedicated users from the other networks as well since with BTC and BTC like currencies they earn money for their philanthropy Cheesy

Mining is about generating a certificate, easily verifiable without a centralized service, that work was done acknowledging a specific timeline of transactions. This is probably incompatible with external computing projects. If you can think of a way to combine them you'll have to be much more specific.