<center>![BOINC.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmecH697Nhx93R3UkMzk1Wz1v7q6nKeKcErqdk1Zrspso1/BOINC.jpg)</center>

So, I was recently talking to a family member about having attended the BOINC workshop in Chicago. Right off the bat they asked the big questions: BOINC? BOINC what? What’s a BOINC? 

I answered as best I could, but ultimately I realized that “it’s a middleware system that networks everyone’s computers together to form a supercomputer that anyone can use. SETI uses it.” was seriously insufficient, particularly when it came to keeping the attention of this science loving technically illiterate individual -- let alone driving their desire to learn more or participate.

I’ve spent some time thinking about it and I have a few different answers now, but even they feel limited. I’ll share a few ideas if the discussion gets going.

So yeah, I'm curious what everyone else thinks: 

What _is_ BOINC?