I downloaded and installed the BOINC program onto my Mac and set the preferences allowing access to my computer from 8 PM to 8 AM. My question is: Does the application have to be running for SETI@Home to access my computer? Or will it launch itself?

BOINC consists of two parts, the BOINC client, which starts and controls the science applications and the up- and downloads, and the BOINC manager, which is a GUI to show the status of the client and to give some control over it.

So, what has to be running is the client. One way to achieve that is to install BOINC in Protected Application Execution mode. Then the client runs even when nobody is logged in (I hope on the Mac it's the same as with Windows).

The other way is to exit the BOINC manager after enabling the exit dialog and select the appropriate options. But after a reboot, the manager has to be started once (I think).

Gruß,
Gundolf

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Computer sind nicht alles im Leben. (Kleiner Scherz)

SETI@home classic workunits 3,758
SETI@home classic CPU time 66,520 hours

I downloaded and installed the BOINC program onto my Mac and set the preferences allowing access to my computer from 8 PM to 8 AM. My question is: Does the application have to be running for SETI@Home to access my computer? Or will it launch itself?

I believe I see a misconception. The BOINC client calls out to the servers when it needs to and it can. The servers NEVER initiate contact with the client. So any time BOINC is running and your computer is attached to the internet and BOINC is allowed to connect, BOINC may call the servers to upload, download, report work or fetch work.

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BOINC WIKI