if our unending number-crunching finally struck oil, and we detected evidence of alien technology - is there any chance whatsoever the original SETI@home user would receive any credit? or are the sources of the calculations/work units lost once completed?

I honestly don't mind either way - I'll be utterly delighted when we finally do make contact - but I'm just wondering for the fun of it...

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that would have worked if you hadn't stopped me

if our unending number-crunching finally struck oil, and we detected evidence of alien technology - is there any chance whatsoever the original SETI@home user would receive any credit? or are the sources of the calculations/work units lost once completed?

I honestly don't mind either way - I'll be utterly delighted when we finally do make contact - but I'm just wondering for the fun of it...

I'm pretty sure they'll know who crunched the magic workunit...Whoever it is might get shipped out to Berkeley for the press conference.

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PROUD TO BE TFFE!

Whoever it is might get shipped out to Berkeley for the press conference.

haha that's an awesome thought!! it would be like winning the lottery! when they ship the "winner" out, I'd love to attend the press conference - I haven't been to Berkeley since I was nine years old (Lawrence Hall of Science)... I remember a giant brass whale . . . . my fading memories require refreshment!

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that would have worked if you hadn't stopped me

You'd have worldwide panic, civil unrest, looting, shootings etc.

Don't we have all that now?

You'd have worldwide panic, civil unrest, looting, shootings etc.

Don't we have all that now?

Yes, and it would be 1000 times worse. Recall what happened in the US in the 1950's when they broadcast the radio version of War of the Worlds. People took to the streets in their thousands panicking like hell because they genuinely though the martians had landed. I'm sure theres a link to it somewhere but I can't find it.

That happened in 1938 and much of the panic was blamed on the tension due to the Nazi build up in Europe.

panic was blamed on the tension due to the Nazi build up in Europe.

very true - but then again, I think your average man on the street is likely to panic - people would stop going to work, there would be looting, society would collapse - there would be anarchy! I have very little faith in the guiding force behind society, which is essentially influenced by the lowest common denominator - man is still extremely primitive, and I doubt they'd be "mature" enough to handle the concept of alien contact. I'm sure that's the primary reason why the Government is withholding information pertaining to both Roswell and Groom Lake, for example - they don't have faith in Joe-average... and I don't blame them!

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that would have worked if you hadn't stopped me

Even Margaret Thatcher when she was British PM said in an unguarded moment, "You just can't tell the people"

really? I'd never heard that! see! man, that's proof right there... I'm a true believer - and it drives me nuts that all this information is withheld... I would love nothing more than turning on CNN one day, and seeing BREAKING NEWS banners all over the screen stating: ALIENS HAVE LANDED!

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that would have worked if you hadn't stopped me

The 'Committee' Collatorally Agreed that there 'would be NO Mention to the General Public' and that which was stated a "long time ago" is still basically in Effect and Most likely shall Remain so . . .

You'd have worldwide panic, civil unrest, looting, shootings etc.

Don't we have all that now?

Yes, and it would be 1000 times worse. Recall what happened in the US in the 1950's when they broadcast the radio version of War of the Worlds. People took to the streets in their thousands panicking like hell because they genuinely though the martians had landed. I'm sure theres a link to it somewhere but I can't find it.

That happened in 1938 and much of the panic was blamed on the tension due to the Nazi build up in Europe.

Fair enough got my date wrong, knew it was around the WWII time. I didn't think the US were that bothered about the spat in europe until Pearl harbour brought them into it.

EDIT

Point is that people basically panicked at the thought of bug eyed monsters, and they would also do so today.

But War of the Worlds was about an alien invasion...I really doubt the impact would be as bad as people think...probably something on the level of millenium fever and people would soon get the used to the idea and go back to focussing on the more important things in life like plasma TVs and next episode of 24.

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Reality Internet Personality

Any intelligence that is detected by SETI would likely be light years away...and still completely unaware...or unconcerned with us...In view of this...The panic mode has been highly overstated...Even if a SETI press conference telling of an alien signal was held this afternoon...Billions would believe it was all a big lie...

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PROUD TO BE TFFE!

The key would be quickly spreading the information far and wide.....before the
"Men in Black Suits" show up.

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DONATE TO SETI

The key would be quickly spreading the information far and wide.....before the
"Men in Black Suits" show up.

I think we can handle that.

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PROUD TO BE TFFE!

Point is that people basically panicked at the thought of bug eyed monsters, and they would also do so today.

Wrong, wrong, wrong. The public panicked at what they thought were radio reports from the front of an ongoing attack by aliens. Radio was still a relatively new item and home radio sets were only just becoming widespread. The voice on the radio was given the kind of simple minded trust that a later generation gave to TV news anchors.

The public today has been exposed to the idea of alien civilization via TV and movie, news about SETI@Home and other, similar projects, even PBS programs such as Cosmos with the sainted Dr. Segan. I do not believe for an instant that the simple discovery of the existence of an alien civilization would not cause even minor panic.

I could accept that it would cause some panic in politicians because politicians in positions of real authority are generally older, poorly versed in science, have rather narrow and somewhat brittle world views and lack imagination. That lack of imagination would lead them to assume that public response to such knowledge would erode their authority or power base, which most career politicians could never countenance.

I agree with you, BillHyland - however I also think it's a matter of degree... I don't believe the discovery of microbes on Mars would cause an upheaval - but the admittance of an ongoing union with aliens (following the Roswell incident, for example) would likely cause much more of an uproar. In a worst case scenario, if aliens attacked - society would go to hell. The less overwhelming the revelation, the more subdued the reaction. Panic easily boils over when group-thought is embraced.

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that would have worked if you hadn't stopped me

You'd have worldwide panic, civil unrest, looting, shootings etc.

Don't we have all that now?

Only when I'm online.

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me@rescam.org

ES on a bad day would scare the pants off anyone!!! ;-))

Requesting permission to reword that.

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me@rescam.org

I've got a recording of that war of the worlds broadcast and can assure you that anyone hearing it these days would be more likley to laugh than panic.

panic was blamed on the tension due to the Nazi build up in Europe.

very true - but then again, I think your average man on the street is likely to panic - people would stop going to work, there would be looting, society would collapse - there would be anarchy!

Heh heh heh. Our company wouldn't halt work. We would simply find out if they wanted to buy some sugar...lmao

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Air Cold, the blade stops;
from silent stone,
Death is preordained

Calm Chaos Forums : Everyone Welcome

What everyone ( with a couple of exceptions ) seem to be forgetting is that the mass media has trained people to be completely sceptical of anything that has to do with UFO's or aliens.

The vast majority of people would simply take any reports about contact and chalk them up to people " making things up " to get attention. Or they would simply think the people doing the reporting are crackpots.

People would be loathe to believe something like that even if it WERE Berkley doing the press conference.

I believe the vast majority of the general public would simply scoff at the reports.

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Air Cold, the blade stops;
from silent stone,
Death is preordained

Calm Chaos Forums : Everyone Welcome