I used to help with SETI a while back when it first started a few years ago and thought about coming back. However, I've been wondering some things and thought I would ask here.

1. Are the units our computers crunch ever updated with new files that are more recent than the initial scans taken during the projects inception?

2. Has the data crunched so far been compiled into something that shows they are using what we are 'Helping' them with. (Cause whats the point if they really aren't doing anything with it, or showing us what they are doing with it)

3. I would like to help again and be excited. At the same time I haven't seen the project do anything or release anything that would make me think this is anything more than a easy source of grant money for some professor out there.

I want to be wrong and would love for the community to prove it and point me in the right direction. I love the idea behind this but don't want to download anything and start back again to get the feeling its for nothing.

I look forward to everyone's input, and thanks in advance for any help pointing me in the right direction.

1. Are the units our computers crunch ever updated with new files that are more recent than the initial scans taken during the projects inception?

New data is still being recorded at the Arecibo dish in Puerto Rico.
But aside from that, with the newest Seti v7.00 applications having been released, that look even deeper into the data, older data is being checked again. And there is the thing, it doesn't really matter when the data was recorded, as the information inside the data came from a couple of thousand of light years away. Do you really think it matters then if the data was recorded last week or 5 years ago?

2. Has the data crunched so far been compiled into something that shows they are using what we are 'Helping' them with. (Cause whats the point if they really aren't doing anything with it, or showing us what they are doing with it)

The Seti staff is busy making a program, called NTPCKR, that does this searching through all the data automatically. Since the Seti staff is comprised of none that work full time for Seti@HOme, as it really is only a side-show these days for the people working on it, it's taking a little longer than everyone wants.
Bookmark http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/ntpckr.php as eventually it'll come back online. You can then use this plugin to see all the candidates in Google Sky.

3. I would like to help again and be excited. At the same time I haven't seen the project do anything or release anything that would make me think this is anything more than a easy source of grant money for some professor out there.

The project has no funding from the NSF. It runs totally on public donations.
If it weren't even for BOINC, Seti@Home would've died out 10 years ago, after its funds ran out.

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Thanks for the info Ageless.

I guess with question 1 I should have also asked are they looking at other area's? I seem to recall they only focused on a very, very small section back when I remember starting. I understand that with it being light years away we are essentially looking back in time (which is interesting in its own right).

So, if I decide to delve back into the unit crunching business are there any plugin's I should download for more stats or is v7 pretty much all inclusive?

There were several I used a long time ago that tracked many statistics and even showed where in the sky the unit was taken from.

Again, thanks for the info. I look forward to hearing more info.