I hope it wasn't one of our Guys....

Man Fired For Using Computer To Search For Aliens

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The search for extraterrestrial life has ended at the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.


The department on Thursday fired a computer programmer who admitted to using a state-owned computer server to process data for the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence project, run by the University of California at Berkeley.

Charles E. Smith, 63, told administrators he didn't think loading the SETI software on the server was much of a problem because he ran the program only on weekends and on weekdays between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m., when the server wasn't being used, according to a disciplinary report.

Source

This is the first time ever seeing something like this.. I just hope everyone who has Seti running has permission to do so.

Thats actually quite sad. Guess some people don't relate to the search for other intelligent beings out there. Not really grounds for being fired

That's our wonderful Ohio State Gov't for you. Wasting millions yearly and firing one guy for running SETI during off hours. Boo-Hiss.

"I understand his desire to search for intelligent life in outer space, because obviously he doesn't find it in the mirror in the morning"

I'm not so sure that was a very necessary comment especially after the pretty harsh punishment of firing someone for running an unauthorized program during OFF hours...Perhaps they were looking for a reason to fire him?

Originally posted by UnknownOrigins
Perhaps they were looking for a reason to fire him?

I think you hit the alien on one of his heads!..

I mean, I agree.

Sometimes Companies have a very good reason for firing someone, but are afraid of repercussions, if it's not handled correctly...So, they watch, and wait, for a company policy to be broken...Then......pink slip time!

[start not adding anything]

GAH! i guess he shudnt have been doing this, but its not harming anyone. they shud have a. warned him, told him to stop, made him stop (stopped him from being able to do it) and b. not been complete morons about that topic themselves. that soundbite (yes, i read the whole thing) about not finding it in the mirror is absurd.

DENY IGNORANCE, dammit!

In front of a large studio audience... , what happened there? I feel kind of sorry for him, but he was giving away proprietory information, so I think that he deserved it >_>.

Originally posted by NWObringer
I feel kind of sorry for him, but he was giving away proprietory information, so I think that he deserved it >_>.

I apparently missed something here. Exactly what information was proprietory that he was giving away? Does the Seti software require this info from a network to be able to use the software? Is that required info a security leak or hazard to anyone who participates? I'm confused.

I think you hit the alien on one of his heads!..

I mean, I agree.

Sometimes Companies have a very good reason for firing someone, but are afraid of repercussions, if it's not handled correctly...So, they watch, and wait, for a company policy to be broken...Then......pink slip time!

you are sooo right! - im havin the same problem , ive actually grown a rubber neck to do a full 360 degree looksy when im out n about - my bosses hide in bushes (i kid you not) , they already told me 3 outa 4 times thye seen me i been standin talkin - which is true, since im employed by joe public in a roundabout way, so if i didnt talk to the public, theyd complain to my boss anyway - i cant win really.

God!!! and I thought that you only got sacked for searching for porn on the net!

Don't run or do anything of a "personal" nature at work. It's the safe bet.

(And here I am posting on ATS at work. )

[edit on 21-10-2004 by Der Kapitan]

[edit on 21-10-2004 by Der Kapitan]

Originally posted by earthtone
Thats actually quite sad. Guess some people don't relate to the search for other intelligent beings out there. Not really grounds for being fired

Most corporations or otherwise money-centric organizations don't care about people, much less aliens. They care about policy. They care about security. They care about themselves.

I hope it wasn't anyone we know either, because we got a good team going.

The guy who got sacked knew that he was breaking regulations. I read this on Slashdot a while back and it was quite clear he got canned for two reasons not just 1. The reasons prolly were his Boss had a grudge against him and he was running unauthorized software on gov't property. Who knows how many security flaws SETI has. How would you feel if somone hacked in their system using a vulnerability in SETI to get at your personal information? I bet you guys would be singing a far different tune then.

I agree, his boss and/or employer probably had some grudge and was looking for some valid excuse to fire the guy. He breaks one policy and then gets immediately terminated. Either that or I guess some people take software security very serious.

Originally posted by BillyTheCat
God!!! and I thought that you only got sacked for searching for porn on the net!

It's possible that the signal we eventually recieve could be Alien porn...LOL
How would we know?

I have spoken to a few state workers here in Columbus,(I ride the bus with a few.) and they all were aware of this situation and said the same thing. The guy had to have been warned multiple times. The only way you can get fired from the state on the first warning is something akin to sexual harassment or violent behavior.

[edit on 22-10-2004 by Der Kapitan]

It sucks that the guy got fired for it, but I agree with the poster who said that no one can be sure of what sort of security flaws SETI@home has. A state computer, especially a server, is most likely holding some pretty sensitive information. I know in my job (I process transactions for five different banks, several million dollars daily) that if I even THINK about running software that is not given to me by the net admins I'll most likely get terminated.

Is a very real concern.

He'll probably be the one to find the magic signal, and it'll be stuck on some server in Ohio never to be sent back to Seti