Profile: Carson F. Ball

Personal background
I have a B.S. in Computer Sciences and am interested in networking and distributed computing (especially large projects such as SETI@home). Other interests include: video games, tennis (playing, not watching), Role playing games, and computer programming.
Thoughts about SETI and SETI@home
To answer the three sample questions:

1) I do believe that extraterrestial life could exist; but if it does, it is probably too far away for us to reliably contact. Benefits and dangers of this possibility, therefore, are moot points.

2) We humans already transmit beacons (massive amounts or radio waves, unnatural radiation, etc.), transmitting anything else would probably not be noticed any easier. If we try to send a specific message, other races would probably not understand the meaning - we could identify ourselves as intelligent beings, but nothing more. Anyway, the fact that we are transmitting radio waves indicates that we are intelligent.

3) I run SETI@home for several reasons. First, I am interested in distributed computing. Second, I like to help others with their projects, especially scientific endeavors. Third, mapping the universe (whether or not life is found) could be a potentially useful feat. I think that the project is benefits mankind by enabling us to share resources for a common goal and by helping to chart the universe. The only suggestion that I have is that I wish there was a monthly or quarterly newsletter detailing major accomplishments(with the client, server, telescope, findings, etc.).
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SETI@home and Astropulse are funded by grants from the National Science Foundation, NASA, and donations from SETI@home volunteers. AstroPulse is funded in part by the NSF through grant AST-0307956.