It doesn't really matter what they do, because it's all bullshit. I have been doing S@H for quite a few years (on and off), and it's mostly been OFF, primarily because there is ALWAYS a failure of some kind with their systems. To easily sum it up: If you can't run a stable system, with stable components, then don't ask people to help in doing work units, until it's been rectified. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm sick of devoting my computers computing cycles to something which for 80% of the time, is always suffering some soft of problem.

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Well ok....feel free to pick another project. I hear they are giving out memberships for free at other projects.

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Traveling through space at ~67,000mph!

For the price of $$$$21,000 You might be able to build a Few Backup servers!!!!

For the price of $$$$21,000 You might be able to build a Few Backup servers!!!!

For some of the systems being run here, $21,000 doesn't even get you a basic server. It's a good for a deposit though.

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Grant
Darwin NT

For the price of $$$$21,000 You might be able to build a Few Backup servers!!!!

For some of the systems being run here, $21,000 doesn't even get you a basic server. It's a good for a deposit though.

aside from synergy none of the servers look like they cost even close to $21000. I could see synergy pushing $5000-7000 but most of the servers are far below synergy it computing power/Ram.

But then again I Build things myself. So I don't purchase them from the likes of dell/hp/ibm. If in when my hardware fails I take the downtime. Use the warranty I got with my parts.
I've priced out a server for my family's business (very Small) and when I was looking around I didn't see anything that was even close to $21000(in the Small business sections of dell and HP).

Also Seti is not looking for 100% uptime so why do they need a "Repair man" to come fix there servers. MATT does an amazing job to keep it all running. I am sure if we were to donate $21000 for parts he could manage to get it to work. and do a great job.

Daryll Murphy: ... I'm sick of devoting my computers computing cycles to something which for 80% of the time, is always suffering some sort of problem....

This are valid concerns and we should treat them as such.

@-BeNt- : Telling this guy to get lost is not a solution.

Daryll Murphy: ... I'm sick of devoting my computers computing cycles to something which for 80% of the time, is always suffering some sort of problem....

This are valid concerns and we should treat them as such.

If this were a commercial site, 80% up time would be a problem.
But it's not. So 80% uptime isn't a problem, so it's not a valid concern.

So if someone considers 80% uptime to not be worthy of their attention, then the best thing for all involved would be for them to go somewhere that does meet their expectations.

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Grant
Darwin NT

Other projects have down time also. Milkyway was down lastweek for a bit. Cant remember who posted it but seems like there were quite a few other projects down the same time Seti was down.

Maybe the guys should shut down for the weekend. Just do science like they did during the summer.

It's not the end of the world if something crashes and we cant get work units.
If you want 100% up time maybe you need to crunch Amazon.com.

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[/quote]

Old James

Yet another reqest for all--this thread has been productive. Please keep it on track....

As for another person in the facility---they're already understaffed-using another person isn't an option at this point.

Can we possibly have Matt or Eric chime in here as to how much they would need raised (if in a dedicated fashion) to hire a weekend person?

I have emailed Eric & Matt to request they post

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Blurf right about why we have our limitations. To cover weekends we could probably get a person earning about $65K (full time) and employ them half time ($32.5K) then add 22% in payroll taxes and benefits ($7150) and about 10% of the total ($3965) in donation administration costs. That gives you $44K in annual costs. Or 4 oscars per year if you want hardware equivalents. People are expensive.

If we were to pay them on a government grant, the total would go to $51K, because the overhead rate is 29% on grants rather than ~10%.

I don't think that either is going to happen, because we currently don't have enough to cover our own salaries and will probably need to start cutting our hours some more as we get into the summer. Matt, Jeff and I are already part time on SETI@home, but that fraction will probably be getting a bit smaller.

Having someone here 24/7 is even more expensive. We'd need to hire 3.2 full time equivalents. That's $279K in donations or $327K in grants. It either case, more than our entire expenditures last year. But hiring additional people is why our future budgets always totaled into the $500K+ range. We've just never been able to raise enough to do it. Know anyone who has a few hundred thousand dollars burning a hole in their pocket? ;)

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@SETIEric@qoto.org (Mastodon)

And when we do understand fully what our requirements will be if Overland's fix for gowron and worf doesn't solve the problem, we'll be sure to let everyone know.

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@SETIEric@qoto.org (Mastodon)

Thank you for the input Eric.

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Thank you Eric, for your sincere, if 'not what we wanted to hear' input.
I have been trying to tell folks this stuff for years, but hearing it from your own mouth should have greater impact than some give me creds for.

I do have faith, and always have, that you are doing the best you can with the resources available to you.
And have bolstered them as best as I could.

Some do not realize the scope of what you deal with to get your science out to the public. If they really did, the nonsensical complaints would cease.

You have a great day, Sir. And yes, I did mean to capitalize the S.

You have been far more than gracious to me over the years.

I only hope that I have returned as much as I could to you.

Meow.

Mark

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

And when we do understand fully what our requirements will be if Overland's fix for gowron and worf doesn't solve the problem, we'll be sure to let everyone know.

Yes, please do keep us posted "What next" depending on how the efforts go.

Thank you Dr. Eric!

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Janice

When things are not looked at until after they fail really says nothing
about what could have been done

Thing Fail for many reasons
Did it have a surge protector Yes? Was that any good Yes or just functioning as a powerstrip.No
Static can cause damage ? I know
how good is the ac power good..brown outs spikes ?? rarely
Were the fans working Yes? Were they gummed up ?No
How many dust bunnys were inside ? No

Was it new (no burnin) was it way old ? All components 13 months old

Preventive means periodic inspection BEFORE it fails

In my case, it was a complete new build. As for PM, my network is checked/serviced every 6/8 weeks.

The guys at Seti are to be commended for what they have achieved over the years for the way they have maintained the project, considering that it is a Non-Commercial Enterprise
PM cannot detect defective components. That was the 8th mobo failure in 25 years, not a bad ratio in my opinion.

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Thank You Eric. I sincerely hope the people with their "Gee Whiz" fixes take into consideration what you have said.

If someone can come up with a "fix" that doesn't entail more money or more people (which is still more money) I will be the first to applaud them.

Eric
I hope you understand
We the "Volunteers" cant respond to servers we KNOW nothing about
They may be HIDDEN for security
That is what it is

As for the people costs ... well it is CALIFORNIA
not everyone costs YOUR rates

Maybe if "the Budget" was reasonable You would get that amount
I went to college too .. lets go for ALL what we want

WE just want the PAIN to stop
We will BUY new equipment for your use

Matt has not come up with a "Whats needeed list" for months
We the VOLUNTEERERS are getting REALLY sick off being treated as mushrooms


Oh BTW I fail the see what this has to do with this thread
but I guess even the people in charge

DON"T POST ON TOPIC

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sorry .. since i´m also here as volunteer, i very clearly want to have myself excluded from this "general" statement, because this might be any bodies point of view, but it is NOT mine.
i don´t feel treated like mushroom .. i´m sick what happens to the people involved and that projects like seti (and this is by far not the only one) are not supported with appropriate resources by the appropriate authorities .. making it neccessary for them to always walk at the "edge" ..
there have been people here including me to mention this in similar way; "we" have money in quite different heights for things, that are by far less valuable.
i know, that this is not a spark of a solution .. just wanted to say that. all the rest seems to depend on exactly resources, and so it doesn´t help to repeat it.
all the best for everybody!

Eric
I hope you understand
We the "Volunteers" cant respond to servers we KNOW nothing about
They may be HIDDEN for security
That is what it is

As for the people costs ... well it is CALIFORNIA
not everyone costs YOUR rates

Maybe if "the Budget" was reasonable You would get that amount
I went to college too .. lets go for ALL what we want

WE just want the PAIN to stop
We will BUY new equipment for your use

Matt has not come up with a "Whats needeed list" for months
We the VOLUNTEERERS are getting REALLY sick off being treated as mushrooms


Oh BTW I fail the see what this has to do with this thread
but I guess even the people in charge

DON"T POST ON TOPIC

However having someone on hand in California would be his rates. The 21k he speaks of is for a median income for an administrator with 1-5 years nation wide and on the lowest scale. So the numbers he is throwing out would be for the cheapest person they could find. I've got a degree in that and it would be hard pressed for me to go to work for someone part time on the lowest salary out there when there are better options abound. If you start speaking California prices they will be much higher considering cost of living etc. I think the best solution is to get a person willing to try and restore funding from other sources. Which is no easy task if even possible. We always talk of donations but when does it stop being "asking for donations" and being something beyond that, I know for one I'm more tired of constantly seeing people asking for money more than I am the server down time. I like and support this effort as much as I can but at times it seems a bit tiring.

Also to repost what was removed earlier for some reason:

Guess I was right in the salary range. I don't feel we would be able to sustain those amounts of donation levels on a constant basis. Especially considering we can't even get enough to pay Eric and company to be able to stay there the amount of time they need to be. It's not news we wanted to hear which has been obvious, but hopefully there can be something done on the hardware side to cut down on the needed administration time. Now for that list.... ;)

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Traveling through space at ~67,000mph!

....... We always talk of donations but when does it stop being "asking for donations" and being something beyond that, I know for one I'm more tired of constantly seeing people asking for money more than I am the server down time. I like and support this effort as much as I can but at times it seems a bit tiring. .......

comes very close ;-) if we have everyday troubles to just survive - more or less, we shall never be able to act - but even more - think (and feel) "preventive"; if you have headache and a tiger is behind you, for shure you don´t analyze where to get water to swallow the pills .. you either RUN .. or surrender; after the latter, you be dead!