I think I just about finally understand everything I need to know about the basics. But since most things happen automatically I wonder why reporting completed tasks seems not to be. Or am I just not waiting long enough, 24 hrs, for it to happen automatically?

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Either you've not waited long enough, or you've hit a point where everything on the Seti side was so saturated that even reports didn't go through.

But by default, tasks are reported at:
1) 24 hours after task complete.
2) 24 hours before report deadline.
3) When min_queue (Maintain enough work for) is reached before deadline (to cope with disconnected computers).
4) Immediately on upload complete if it is later than 1 - 3.
5) On network connection if later than 1 - 3. There is a scheduled backoff in some cases.
6) On a work fetch.
7) On a trickle up message. (QCN does this)
8) On a trickle down request. (CPDN does this)
9) On a server initiated scheduled connection.
10) On an account manager requested connection.
11) When the user pushes the update button.

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Either you've not waited long enough, or you've hit a point where everything on the Seti side was so saturated that even reports didn't go through.

OK thanks. I suppose, then, that we only use UPDATE if there is a problem of some sort. Now it seems most people just let all this run in the background and pay little attention to it. They don't even run the screen saver as it uses computer time better applied to the tasks (as I understand it). How do they learn a problem has occurred and to manually use UPDATE?

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Well, isn't that counter-intuitive, paying little attention to it, but needing to hit update? ;-)

There's days on end I don't check what's going on in BOINC, it seems to upload, download and report work all on its own. And if something did go wrong and my cache ran empty for whatever reason, then I get more money back at the end-of-year electric bill, don't I? ;-)

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There's days on end I don't check what's going on in BOINC, it seems to upload, download and report work all on its own. And if something did go wrong and my cache ran empty for whatever reason, then I get more money back at the end-of-year electric bill, don't I? ;-)

So wondering why we have an update button?

Sorry to be so dense but I have looked all over Seti and Boinc websites and FAQs looking for explanations of various issues. For example tried to find step by step instructions or explanation of terms. Then a search for 'update' and I see things that seem to have nothing to do with it.

Just saying I'm trying to figure this out without bothering anyone but having little success on my own. Part of the problem may be that I ran Seti up to around 2001 and it ran like you describe. Just alot more complex now, which I did not anticipate.

Sorry for the trouble.

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So wondering why we have an update button?

Sorry to be so dense but I have looked all over Seti and Boinc websites and FAQs looking for explanations of various issues. For example tried to find step by step instructions or explanation of terms. Then a search for 'update' and I see things that seem to have nothing to do with it.

Just saying I'm trying to figure this out without bothering anyone but having little success on my own. Part of the problem may be that I ran Seti up to around 2001 and it ran like you describe. Just alot more complex now, which I did not anticipate.

Sorry for the trouble.

I think there tends to be, on the part of some "new" users, the need to make this more complicated than necessary. Like Jord says, there are times when I won't check any of my rigs for two or three days, and when I do, the most serious problem I have is with my home network router crapping out and requiring a reset.

No doubt that Dr. A has made some changes to BOINC lately, and BOINC will continue to evolve. Whether or not we agree with all the changes, the core functionality of the program is still efficient and functional. I'd speculate that the vast majority of BOINC users are of the "set it and forget it" crowd. Nonetheless, many of the functions (like the Update button) exist for those of us who are not SIAFI.

If you wander around the Number Crunching Forum, you'll see something new every day. Even the most hardcore crunchers are learning new things, and getting new ideas. Like my father told me, you only stop learning when you're dead.

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Even the most hardcore crunchers are learning new things, and getting new ideas. Like my father told me, you only stop learning when you're dead.

I'm sure I'll soon be one who just lets it run. But I'm curious and would like to know as much about it as I can absorb. It's cool. It's fascinating. It's complex for good reasons I have no doubt. I've been in amatuer astronomy since 1970 so Seti fits right in with that.

I think I pretty much got it now. Thanks to everyone who responded to some of my less than artful questions.

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There is one very good reason for the update button. It is possible to change BOINC settings for all you computers at once on the web site. These will not be applied until that computer contacts a project with the new settings. In order to try these new settings on one computer immediately, you have to hit the update button.

Sometimes a disconnected user turns on his network and needs to initiate a servere contact (typically this will be automatic, but not always).

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