http://setiweb.ssl.berkeley.edu/forum_thread.php?id=3842

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Why are we focusing on sarcasm and criticism when we can see that the folks in Berkeley are working the problem?

> http://setiweb.ssl.berkeley.edu/forum_thread.php?id=3842

> Why are we focusing on sarcasm and criticism when we can see that the folks in
> Berkeley are working the problem?
>
> > http://setiweb.ssl.berkeley.edu/forum_thread.php?id=3842
>
>
Good said!!!



The whole is more then the sum of its particles.
Aristoteles
Best wishes from Berlin(52°35'N,13°23'O), Basti
S@h Berkeley's Staff Friends Club © member

> Why are we focusing on sarcasm and criticism when we can see that the folks in
> Berkeley are working the problem?

Why don't you calm down. The sarcasm posted on these boards doesn't cost you anything. We're all volunteers here. Why can't you give these sarcastic posters a break . . .

Well, I guess these arguments make no sense when directed toward participants either.

> http://setiweb.ssl.berkeley.edu/forum_thread.php?id=3842
>

OK, and your point is !

Because I've been in this kind of situation, and I know how much pressure a dedicated worker will put on himself.

That same person, reading this thread is likely to say to himself "why am I killing myself trying to fix this when the only thing I'm going to see is more complaints."

Same with updating the news:

If the home page is updated, then everyone will complain if it isn't 100% accurate in-depth. If they don't, everyone will complain that it isn't updated.

So, if they're in trouble either way, why not stick with trying to make things work and let the news go.

I have new work units today -- it looks like progress is being made.

> > Why are we focusing on sarcasm and criticism when we can see that the
> folks in
> > Berkeley are working the problem?
>
> Why don't you calm down. The sarcasm posted on these boards doesn't cost you
> anything. We're all volunteers here. Why can't you give these sarcastic
> posters a break . . .
>
> Well, I guess these arguments make no sense when directed toward participants
> either.
>
>

> Because I've been in this kind of situation, and I know how much pressure a
> dedicated worker will put on himself.
>
> That same person, reading this thread is likely to say to himself "why am I
> killing myself trying to fix this when the only thing I'm going to see is more
> complaints."
>
> Same with updating the news:
>
> If the home page is updated, then everyone will complain if it isn't 100%
> accurate in-depth. If they don't, everyone will complain that it isn't
> updated.
>
> So, if they're in trouble either way, why not stick with trying to make things
> work and let the news go.
>
> I have new work units today -- it looks like progress is being made.
>

I was trying to inject some humor here. Lots of people argue that we shouldn't complain about the project (or it's developers or anything else) because we are volunteers, and because we aren't being paid for our work, etc. I was simply trying to turn those arguments in the other direction (apparently it didn't work).

To answer your current post, I agree that some people will never be satisfied with the state of communication being directed toward us, the "crunchers", but I don't think that justifies leaving issues unexplained for days. The news on the home page right now presents both good and bad examples: for Sept 2, a short sentence says they will be down for the night (that was easy, and informative); Sept. 3 notes the SNAP techs were coming and what they did in great detail, then says they might be up Sept. 4 (they weren't); Sept. 5 (a Sunday), they finally said what we already knew, they weren't coming up during the Labor Day weekend (fine, and understandable, but a little late); then today they posted a great message (in my opinion) explaining the kinks that were dealt with today.

It just seems to me that some short, timely information would help us all decide how to best allocate our personal resources to the various projects being supported by Berkeley and BOINC.

Sorry, I missed the humor. My bad.

There are enough zealots here that news will almost always show up as a forum posting long before it'll show up as official news. We're all canaries in the coal mine.

Certainly, grumble about the hardware -- and bad luck (Murphy has been here in spades).

IMHO, the software is performing reasonably well.

Many of the complaints have centered on real live people, and questioned their competence. Some have questioned the funding, suggesting that money is being wasted. A few have been outright mean.

I think that's why some of the complainers are seeing a little bit of a backlash, especially when it looks like they're making good progress.

> I was trying to inject some humor here. Lots of people argue that we
> shouldn't complain about the project (or it's developers or anything
> else) because we are volunteers, and because we aren't being paid for our
> work, etc. I was simply trying to turn those arguments in the other direction
> (apparently it didn't work).