Just Joined - But Don't Understand

Okay I went to the SETI@home site and downloaded the software. It is running now. What do I do now? Do I just let it run and it will know when we get something or do I have to learn to interpret this?

You'll know you have something when the MIB come knocking on your door.

Just kidding, you just let it run and if it finds anything it will let SETI know.

I think the will inturn let you know that you and your computer have played a major roll in a historical event.

I am still waiting for that call.

If we don't look we will never find anything.

[edit on 5-2-2005 by bpletcj]

you let it run. all the time, in the background, only at night/when you're not there, or on special holidays (PI DAY!) whenever. when it finishes a work unit, or WU, one of two things will happen. it will tell you, and ask to connect in order to send the result and retrieve a new WU, OR you have it set to connect automatically, in which case it will do so, and you will get +1 WU.

if it is you who analyzes a work unit that finds aliens, etc., they have promised to tell you.

I have been running SETI at home for about a year now. It certainly would be great if the data analyzed on MY computer was THE data that identified an actual signal from an alien race. The very least that I'd expect in return would be the priveledge of "naming the new race" and maybe even their planet. After all, "I" sort of DISCOVERED these aliens.

Hmmmmmm.....maybe I should start coming up with clever names? I'm partial to the "DRAGORRS" or maybe the "KARRILLIANS". Oh well, I know that I'll come up with something appropriate. I just hope the aliens drop whatever it was that they called themselves and readily adopt the name that "I" have rightfully given them.

Hi, small world hey chris

I recently started SETI@home as well (about 2 hours ago actually) and I don't mind. I have it running in the background because I tend to leave my PC on all night sometimes. I know it is pointless it just sitting there, so... why not?

Although saying this, there are some paranoid theories about the NSA using it to scan your hard drive, but I have nothing to be ashamed of