I'm bumping this thread back up in hopes of getting the cool discussion that pertains to this thread out of the panic thread since it isn't really a panic issue. Especially over a holiday the panic thread might be monitored and thus should be for worries or panics.

I wanted to respond to the "we need more people to join the cause but there is a weekly planned outage, and sometimes unplanned ones"

I think they are trying their hardest to minimize the length of the weekly outage, but I think a planned weekly outage for backups and maintenance is a good idea. Always better to do planned maintenance than unplanned disaster clean up.

Did you notice that this past week the outage was only 3 hours or so?? Amazing work by the Seti Team!!!

How many people are truly affected by these weekly outages? at what length do they become an issue?? I think it might only be an issue for a few people, and some of those seem to responsibly bank WUs, so then it is an issue for even less.

Get your circle of people involved. It isn't all about the fastest server farm (though those are important), it is about reaching people and making them a part of something bigger even if they only have a crappy slow machine at home. It is part a public relations outreach as we make people feel a part of something that they will then maybe financially donate to, and/or elect science friendly politicians who will help. I can't wait for my new seti shirt to get here, and remind people that this project is still around after 20 years and hopefully get more people in the tent.

Hear! Hear! Unixchick. We need to foster the idea of the "citizen scientist" in friends, family and acquaintances.

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