Any single we find will be about as exciting as finding fossils in a mentor. It will take decades of arguing and rechecking before, if ever, a definite yes is declared. I don't think we will be picking up Klingon soap operas so the general public will not be interested.

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Edit: :)

GREAT! Guy you have shown good taste.

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What I started off to say, before I distracted myself, was that while "the signal" could come in 100 years or tomorrow, we would all find it rather frustrating if it turned out it came and we crunched it 3 years ago and the lab didn't analyze the results right away.

Not sure that I would be upset. Good science requires time, analysis, and re-verification of results. I'd be more concerned if it "only" took them a year to announce it. If it takes three years or ten, I'd merely be happy that they found a signal.

Taking time to verify it and all that is fine. The upsetting thing would be not even starting that process for years after the initial volunteer crunching.

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

betreger wrote:

I totally agree with the last post in the cited thread.

Imagine if SETI doesn't find the signal in another 100 years. How much interest would there be then? Most people will say, "we've been looking for over 100 years, it's a wasted effort!" It could just as easily be seen as a marketing gimmick that people will start to get sick of hearing.


Given the scale of the cosmos and the number of planets out there, a hundred years is in the realm of possibility to find something. So is a thousand. So is tomorrow... we have no idea right now. I think we'll always keep looking as enough of us will realize that the chance of finding something may be very small, but it's zero if we don't look, or listen.

It took 358 years of improvements in technique to crack Fermat's Last "Theorem" but mathematicians persevered... we need that level of patience.


Completely agree... but humans have very short-term memories. Most, if not all, cannot think on long term scales beyond a single generation.

If the goal is to get more people interested by advertising all the possible signals, it will either turn into a huge fiasco of false positives and therefore turn people off the project or it will become a serious lack of patience issue.

While I think the project will end up doing something as has been suggested, I tend to disagree that it is a requirement to give this information to gain interest.

I think differently. Probably we (I mean, a probe) will have visited at least Alpha Centauri by 2114 and all stars within 50 light years from Earth by 3014. So, probably SAH will not be running by that time.

I think differently. Probably we (I mean, a probe) will have visited at least Alpha Centauri by 2114 and all stars within 50 light years from Earth by 3014. So, probably SAH will not be running by that time.

Or Hawking will have figured out warp drive. :)

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

So am I to understand that all of the data we are producing isn't checked as we crunch for a promising signal?

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What I started off to say, before I distracted myself, was that while "the signal" could come in 100 years or tomorrow, we would all find it rather frustrating if it turned out it came and we crunched it 3 years ago and the lab didn't analyze the results right away.

Not sure that I would be upset. Good science requires time, analysis, and re-verification of results. I'd be more concerned if it "only" took them a year to announce it. If it takes three years or ten, I'd merely be happy that they found a signal.

Taking time to verify it and all that is fine. The upsetting thing would be not even starting that process for years after the initial volunteer crunching.

Considering we've been doing exactly that for 15 years, I can't say it bothers me in the least. We've been in the data collecting stage this entire time. The processing results stage requires additional funding and the guys in the lab are doing the best they can with the limited time and resources they have.

So am I to understand that all of the data we are producing isn't checked as we crunch for a promising signal?

All the data we produce is getting put into a Master Science Database in hopes of beginning Phase 2: Re-observation.

People complain about the money they spend on their electric bills crunching, but so few even want to assist the project move beyond Phase 1, and most complain that they refuse to donate until results are processed, creating a catch 22 for the project; they can't process until they have more funding, they can't get more funding because people feel their money is going to be wasted.

The only break to the cycle is for people to realize that donating to the project is a long-term investment that may never show results in their own lifetime, and many simply refuse to accept that.

All the data we produce is getting put into a Master Science Database in hopes of beginning Phase 2: Re-observation.

People complain about the money they spend on their electric bills crunching, but so few even want to assist the project move beyond Phase 1, and most complain that they refuse to donate until results are processed, creating a catch 22 for the project; they can't process until they have more funding, they can't get more funding because people feel their money is going to be wasted.

The only break to the cycle is for people to realize that donating to the project is a long-term investment that may never show results in their own lifetime, and many simply refuse to accept that.

Well said. Good funding is essential. Everybody needs money to get s**t done. SETI included. Personnel and hardware ain't cheap.

The only break to the cycle is for people to realize that donating to the project is a long-term investment that may never show results in their own lifetime, and many simply refuse to accept that.

Well said. Good funding is essential. Everybody needs money to get s**t done. SETI included. Personnel and hardware ain't cheap.

OK, let's see if you two click the banner below and donate to the Green Bank SERENDIP receiver then. Break the cycle! Provide that essential good funding! :^)
(I am matching all donations!)

(Note that this is an official SETI@Home requirement... GPUUG handles the fundraising and acquiring the needed hardware because among other things UC Berkeley doesn't take PayPal.)

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All the data we produce is getting put into a Master Science Database in hopes of beginning Phase 2: Re-observation.

The only break to the cycle is for people to realize that donating to the project is a long-term investment that may never show results in their own lifetime, and many simply refuse to accept that.

That is disturbing and guaranties it won't happen in my lifetime. Good thing I'm doing this to test and improve my computer skills.

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OK, let's see if you two click the banner below and donate to the Green Bank SERENDIP receiver then. Break the cycle! Provide that essential good funding! :^)
(I am matching all donations!)

Well, I did donate directly to SETI@home when I first joined last month, but I just donated a few bucks towards the hardware as well. Since my mouth is so big.

All the data we produce is getting put into a Master Science Database in hopes of beginning Phase 2: Re-observation.

The only break to the cycle is for people to realize that donating to the project is a long-term investment that may never show results in their own lifetime, and many simply refuse to accept that.

That is disturbing and guaranties it won't happen in my lifetime. Good thing I'm doing this to test and improve my computer skills.

I am sorry you feel that way.

Well, I did donate directly to SETI@home when I first joined last month, but I just donated a few bucks towards the hardware as well. Since my mouth is so big.

Thank you. :^) And you you're only the fourth donor not counting my matches (two of the donors are the #2 and #4 ranked crunchers so it's not like they haven't paid their dues either... heh.) Don't worry about the amount as it's all good and all welcome and if everyone chipped in a little it would be done in days.

I make my donations through the Berkeley portal (use an earmark code so the right project gets the funds) as it's the only way as a Canadian that I can qualify for the tax deduction (GPUUG is registered in the U.S. only) and they have a $10 minimum. So when any more come in I'll match and post it here. The other $10 collected today was a direct donation to SAH through the GPUUG portal.

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Donate, it only costs $10.00 min and you will get a green star.

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All the data we produce is getting put into a Master Science Database in hopes of beginning Phase 2: Re-observation.

The only break to the cycle is for people to realize that donating to the project is a long-term investment that may never show results in their own lifetime, and many simply refuse to accept that.

That is disturbing and guaranties it won't happen in my lifetime. Good thing I'm doing this to test and improve my computer skills.

I am sorry you feel that way.

My life expectancy is 16.79 years, that is something to be sorry about.

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All the data we produce is getting put into a Master Science Database in hopes of beginning Phase 2: Re-observation.

The only break to the cycle is for people to realize that donating to the project is a long-term investment that may never show results in their own lifetime, and many simply refuse to accept that.

That is disturbing and guaranties it won't happen in my lifetime. Good thing I'm doing this to test and improve my computer skills.

I am sorry you feel that way.

My life expectancy is 16.79 years, that is something to be sorry about.

With that much time left, you can still make a difference in things you believe in! Having 16 years left is better than having one year left, and is nothing to feel sorry about as long as you live life to the fullest.

All the data we produce is getting put into a Master Science Database in hopes of beginning Phase 2: Re-observation.

The only break to the cycle is for people to realize that donating to the project is a long-term investment that may never show results in their own lifetime, and many simply refuse to accept that.

That is disturbing and guaranties it won't happen in my lifetime. Good thing I'm doing this to test and improve my computer skills.

I am sorry you feel that way.

My life expectancy is 16.79 years, that is something to be sorry about.

So, make the most of it. What does that have to do weather you donate? OBTW I'm peopably older than you.

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My life expectancy is 16.79 years, that is something to be sorry about.

So, make the most of it. What does that have to do weather you donate? OBTW I'm peopably older than you.

My comment on my life expectancy was about the chances of SETI finding something in my lifetime. From what I just learned they won't even start looking by then. As for donating money I do through The National Science Foundation with my taxes.

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