Have you heard of SETI@home?
By reinydawn
@reinydawn (11643)
United States
April 16, 2008 10:58pm CST
I joined up with this eons ago it seems, and sometimes when I've upgraded my computer I've forgotten to reinstall the software. If you've never heard of it, it's a program run out of Berkley that searches for Extraterrestrials (sp). They ask that people install the program on their computers to run in the background or when it's not in use (you decided what works best for you). The program takes bits of data from space and analyzes it to see if there might be alien life forms in that area. If there is, and your computer analyzed it, you get to name it (or something like that, I don't remember all the details). It's kinda neat how they have it set up. If you get a chance, check it out.
4 responses
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
17 Apr 08
I've never used it myself. I had a friend who showed me the program about 7 years ago and he ran it ALL the time. I remember his dad getting mad at him for leaving the computer on all the time to run the program. It was kinda neat at the time to watch it display graphs that looked kind of like a heart monitor as it ran through. I'm not sure if it looks the same now..i might have to download it just to see.
Brings back memories of highschool!
1 person likes this
@reinydawn (11643)
• United States
20 Apr 08
Yes, it has branched out into a lot of other programs. Over the years I have done a few at a time. With the speed of our home computers, it really doesn't slow things down or take up much space. You barely know it's there :)
@DarthJustice (2014)
• United States
24 Sep 08
I've heard of SETI@home. As a matter of fact, I'm running the program as I'm typing this! I've been using it and Rosetta@home for quite a while now. I can't remember when I started, but it was either earlier this year or last year that I did. It would be amazing to find out that, if we do find proof or whatever of intelligent life using SETI@home, your particular work unit was the one that picked up the proof. I can't imagine how famous that would make someone or what it would feel like even if it didn't make the person famous.
1 person likes this
@reinydawn (11643)
• United States
25 Sep 08
I run it constantly too, have for probably 8 years or so??? I would really laugh if one of my data packets found something, that would be so cool!
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
17 Apr 08
I registered with SETI@Home a long time ago and used to both the GUI and comaand line versions on both of my machines. I installed the BOINC program shortly after it was introduced and ran ran SETI@Home through that for a while, but it does not seem to have the same appeal via BOINC.
It is quite a while since I used SETI@Home now and I have reverted to the standard screensavers.
1 person likes this
@reinydawn (11643)
• United States
20 Apr 08
It's been a while for me too. I think it's a neat concept, so I joined up. I like some of the other programs they have going on now too. I don't use the screensaver, I don't use one at all. My kids used to like looking at it when they were younger and I'd leave it on for them.
@reinydawn (11643)
• United States
20 Apr 08
I used to read through the site a lot when I first joined and it would tell you when an "irregularity" was found, but no aliens that I know of. I think a few stars were discovered or something, but I can't remember. I just think it's a cool concept.
