GIMPS by Mersenne Research, Inc.
The Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search and the web content, data and software downloads at Mersenne.org
are owned and operated by Mersenne Research, Inc. (hereafter synonymously referred to as "GIMPS"), a non-profit corporation charitably organized to promote and conduct
mathematical and computer science research and support related education within the meaning and limits of U.S. Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3), and the State of California Revenue and
Taxation Code Code 23701(d) (Scientific, Charitable).
Why some rules, terms and use conditions are necessary
Some rules, terms and use conditions are necessary to comply and transact official business with governing authorities and agencies, communicate the intent and scope of GIMPS research
projects where conflicts of interest could otherwise arise, and spell out what GIMPS will do under various circumstances to fairly and uniformly handle research discovery awards for
the project's many participants.
Terms and Conditions of Use ("TCU")
- GIMPS participation is free of charge and open to the public internationally.
- Web Site. The GIMPS "Web Site" is understood to include all Mersenne.org Internet web site domains,
web content and services, PrimeNet APIs, data, downloads, etc., regardless of means of access.
- Non-Participants. Viewing the Web Site does not necessarily make you a Participant; non-Participants are not bound by this TCU.
- Participation Constitutes Agreement. "Participant" is understood to be an individual person, or a single individual person designated as the authorized
representative of any group, team, organization or legal entity, who personally, or whose computer(s), accesses and/or communicates with the Web Site to perform, or cause to
perform, mathematical calculations that are, or typically, systematically organized by GIMPS. This includes, but is not restricted to, use of Prime95, MPrime, GLucas, or similar
software, automatically over the Internet or using the Web Site (manual testing forms, reports, APIs, etc.), to get data or work assignments or to upload results or other data.
Participation constitutes agreement with the TCU by that individual and any group, team, organization or legal entity the Participant represents.
- Participant Identifiers. Participant's user ID, password and email address are the primary unique identifiers used by GIMPS to communicate and confirm Participant's identity.
Secondary identifiers may include unique computer identifiers known as a "GUID". The "Anonymous" or "ANONYMOUS" user ID is owned by GIMPS, but may be used
by Participants who do not wish to be publically identified.
- Award Rules. Participant agrees to the Research Discovery Award Rules.
- Award Refusal. Participant may at their option decline any award. Research Discovery Award Rules apply even if an award is unclaimed or optionally declined by the Participant.
- Data Ownership and Privacy. GIMPS owns all collected data, and may publish or make available certain limited subset(s) of that data for public reference, excluding personally
identifiable data according to the Privacy Policy. Examples of published data are stats, standings, charts and other derived charts or tables.
- Disclaimer. GIMPS is not responsible for any losses due to Web Site errors, electronic transmission errors, omissions or unauthorized disclosures, failure of any software to
correctly find and timely report a new prime number, or any other research discovery, or for someone "poaching" or "stealing" your assignment (performing work on
it without it being assigned to them by GIMPS) and subsequently making a discovery.
- Terms and Conditions of Use Changes. GIMPS reserves the right to change this TCU without notice. Last updated 2008-10-15.
- Jurisdiction. For all particpants affiliated with the University of Missouri, jurisdiction of law shall be the State of Missouri and the United States of America.
For all other participants, the jurisdiction of law shall be the State of California and the United States of America. Participant agrees to settle all disputes through a good faith effort directly
with GIMPS officers and directors, or as a last resort, by third-party binding arbitration through a certified arbitrator of GIMPS' choosing.
Research Discovery Award Rules ("Rules")
1) General Award Rules
- Participants. "Participant" is understood as defined in the Terms and Conditions of Use ("TCU").
- Award Eligibility. All GIMPS Participants are automatically eligible for Research Discovery Awards. GIMPS-interested parties, including its officers, directors, their
immediate family members or directly-contracted agents, are ineligible for any award.
- Awardees. "Awardee" is understood to be the Participant, or the group, team, organization or legal entity the Participant represents, and whose computer
achieves a research discovery for which an award exists and all Rules in effect at the time of the discovery comply.
- Award Payee. Awards are payable to a single Awardee, except if the Awardee designates a single charity to receive all or part of the award, for which GIMPS will make
reasonable effort but does not guarantee to accommodate. Awardee is responsible for all applicable taxes and fees.
- Awardee Information. Certain information about the Awardee, and where designated information about a selected charity, may be collected by GIMPS where lawfully required.
- Discovery Evidence. As proof of discovery, Participant agrees to email to
GIMPS at woltman@alum.mit.edu certain data files generated
by any software program used to make the discovery, along with their name, post mailing
address, phone number, and GIMPS user ID if not anonymous. If proof is not satisfactory, it will be treated as an
unclaimed award.
- Discovery Non-Disclosure Period. Participants and Awardees agree to a reasonable immediate period of non-disclosure communications silence, not to exceed 90 days, about any
discovery, alleged or verified, until GIMPS announces the discovery to the academia and press. Non-compliance may result in award disqualification.
- Evidence of Authority. A Participant who does not own a computer on which a research discovery is found must produce written evidence satisfactory to the GIMPS board of directors
of their status as a designated authorized representative with authority over that computer and to bind the TCU, before they, or whom they represent, can be considered an Awardee.
If proof is not satisfactory, it will be treated as an unclaimed prize.
- Award Notification. Participant is responsible for maintaining and monitoring the email address registered in their GIMPS user ID account. GIMPS is not responsible for ensuring
email notification delivery or receipt by Participants. Anonymous Participants will not be notified. It is not necessary to receive an email notification from GIMPS to qualify for a
Research Discovery Award.
- Award Claims and Release Waivers. Participant and Awardee is/are responsible for claiming any applicable Research Discovery Award, and agree to execute a GIMPS award claim and
release waiver and/or release waiver, as appropriate, satisfactory to the GIMPS board of directors.
- Unclaimed, Expired, Disqualified and Refused Awards. Unclaimed awards expire one year from the date of the qualifying discovery. Expired, refused or disqualified awards will be
donated by GIMPS to a 501(c)(3) charity or retained by GIMPS to fund awards or cover its expenses.
- Other Disqualifications. GIMPS reserves the right to deny award payment if the Awardee is determined by the GIMPS board of directors to be personally, or affiliated with, or
organized under, a charter or entity, practicing or promoting interests counter to humanitarian good or public benefit. GIMPS may require Awardee to execute an affidavit of eligibility
according to these Rules.
- Assignment of Specific Interest. Whereas GIMPS has undertaken an organized and systematic attempt to earn
the $150,000 (USD) Electronic Frontier Foundation ("EFF")
Cooperative Computing Award, all Participants and Awardees agree to
the Rules and release their entire interest in the EFF award to GIMPS
(see Research Discovery Awards).
- Final Authority. Decisions of the GIMPS board of directors in applying the TCU and Rules, and in granting awards, are final.
- Rule Changes. These Rules, as in effect at the date and time of a discovery, shall apply. GIMPS reserves the right to change these Rules without notice. Last updated 2019-01-06.
2) Research Discovery Awards
Mersenne Prime Award of USD $3,000.00
Awarded to a GIMPS Participant for each new Mersenne prime discovered after August 23, 2008 and having fewer than 100,000,000 (decimal) digits.
Rules in addition to the General Award Rules:
- The award is presently $3,000.
GIMPS may, at its sole discretion and without notice, change the award amount or retroactively increase certain
previously-awarded Research Discovery Awards up to
the a maximum amount of $5000.
- Verification may take several weeks. No money will be awarded until the discovery is independently verified, and the award money is available after GIMPS annual operating expenses.
- In the unlikely event that an identical qualifying prime is discovered at about the same time by two or more Participants, then the winner will be the first to either send their
result to the GIMPS PrimeNet server or to email their results to GIMPS.
100 Million Digit Prime Award of USD $50,000.00
Awarded to a GIMPS Participant for the first prime discovered having at least 100,000,000 (decimal) digits.
Rules in addition to the General Award Rules:
- GIMPS has undertaken an organized and systematic attempt to earn the $150,000 (USD) Electronic Frontier Foundation ("EFF") Cooperative Computing Award
such that each Participant assigns all interest in this award entirely to GIMPS. Note that this Award may at current participation rates require an estimated 12-15 years of
calculations before a qualifying discovery is made.
- No money will be awarded unless and until a GIMPS Participant's computer discovers a 100,000,000 digit prime, it is independently verified, EFF validates GIMPS' claim according to their
rules, and pays GIMPS the award.
- Verification may take several weeks and publication in a suitable academic refereed journal as required by EFF rules will likely take several more months.
- GIMPS will redistribute the EFF award money into thirds as follows:
- $50,000 will be awarded to the discoverer Awardee of the 100,000,000 digit prime.
- $50,000 will be awarded to a 501(c)(3) mathematics-related charity selected by GIMPS.
- $50,000 will be retained by GIMPS to cover expenses and/or fund future or past awards.
- In the unlikely event that more than one qualifying prime is discovered at about the same time, then the winner will be the first to either send their result to the GIMPS PrimeNet server or to email their results to GIMPS.
Privacy Policy
Thank you for investing your trust. Since 1996, we never have and never will sell, distribute or release your email address or any other information you provide us for the administration
and operation of this amazing public participation research project, except in the unlikely requirement to comply with law. Last updated 2008-10-15.
Software End User License Agreement ("EULA")
- This EULA applies to all versions of GIMPS Prime95 and MPrime software and source code ("Software").
- Software is free to download and use indefinitely on any computer(s) you own or for which you have permission and authority to install and run Software. Software is not export-restricted.
- To use the Software you agree to be bound by this EULA and the Terms and Conditions of Use.
- GIMPS reserves the right to change this EULA without notice and with reasonable retroactive effect. Last updated 2008-10-15.
- GIMPS not responsible for any damages or losses arising from use of Software. SOFTWARE AND INFORMATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED,
INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND/OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
Operations:
Expenditures & Revenue, Balance Sheet
[Future]
Leadership
Board of Directors: George Woltman, Luke Welsh, Aaron Blosser.
Corporate Officers: George Woltman: President, Treasurer,
Luke Welsh: Vice President, Aaron Blosser: Secretary
System Administrator: Aaron Blosser
Website: Aaron Blosser, James Heinrich
GIMPS and PrimeNet created by George Woltman and Scott Kurowski.
The entire leadership team gratefully acknowledge the countless GIMPS participants and other contributors since 1996, and wish everyone enjoyable prime hunting!