|
|
Post by Raoul Duke on Oct 19, 2006 16:29:52 GMT 7
I've long been part of a project called SETI@Home. It's part of the Search for Extra-Terrestial Intelligence project and runs out of the University of California at Berkeley. In this project, you download a tiny bit of data received by the Arecibo Radio Telescope in Puerto Rico. While your computer is idle, it uses your CPU to analyze the data for signs of intelligent life, then sends the results to SETI and downloads another data chunk. If your computer results in the discovery of extraterrestrial intelligent life, you will be named as a co-discoverer!  It's rather a brilliant idea. It uses all that idle screen-saver time from millions of computers, that would otherwise be guiding flying toasters and such, to advance a worthy scientific project. I just reinstalled the software on my new computer, and the project has been expanded to include other research areas. You can now create teams for group credit, so I have created one for us! If you'd like to participate, you need to begin by going to boinc.berkeley.edu/ and downloading and installing the BOINC software that makes it all possible. Be sure and select the Automatic Startup option. Then, select the projects you want to help. There's a list available; just paste in the URL of the project site. Our team projects are equal time to: Rosetta@Home (analyzes the 3-D structure of proteins to help advance knowledge of human diseases) Einstein@Home (analyzes data from 2 gravity wave detectors to try and find new spinning neutron stars ("pulsars")) SETI@Home (as described above) Then, click Your Account and join the team. Our team name is "Le Team Raoul's China Expat Saloon." You can search teams and find us easily. Then, watch and enjoy. BOINC will become your screen saver, and you'll get extremely cool graphic depictions of the analysis your computer is doing. Who knows...people might start thinking you're really smart and stuff!  THIS SOFTWARE IS: - Free - Safe - Not going to interfere with anything you do on your computer. Only idle time is used. Like any other screen saver, it retreats when you move a mouse or press a key - Reasonably easy (but admittedly not extremely easy) to install. Pretty good help is available if needed. I hope you'll join the team! |
|
|
|
Post by Raoul Duke on Oct 19, 2006 16:47:45 GMT 7
By the way, if you're already a BOINC participant, you can still join the team. You'll get your individual credit as usual AND help the team! I wonder if there's something out there to search for intelligent life in...oh, never mind.  |
|
Escaped Lunatic
Barfly
Civet Burger? Sounds tempting. Can I get fries with that?
Posts: 567
|
Post by Escaped Lunatic on Oct 19, 2006 21:37:01 GMT 7
And I thought I was the only person here to have fallen to such an extreme level of geekiness.  Guess I'll have to see about switching my boinc account over to Team Raoul. Shouldn't the term "boinc account" be more, well, ...  “And pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in space, 'Cause there's bugger all down here on Earth.” - Monty Python, the Galaxy Song |
|
|
|
Post by Raoul Duke on Oct 19, 2006 22:09:46 GMT 7
|
|
|
|
Post by Mr Nobody on Oct 19, 2006 22:25:48 GMT 7
Sounds good. I'll get around to it. I don't think SETI is much use, myself, but the others are good. Still, it would be real interesting if ever....
|
|
Escaped Lunatic
Barfly
Civet Burger? Sounds tempting. Can I get fries with that?
Posts: 567
|
Post by Escaped Lunatic on Oct 20, 2006 1:44:09 GMT 7
>I don't think SETI is much use Foolish Earthlings!  |
|
|
|
Post by Mr Nobody on Oct 20, 2006 5:47:46 GMT 7
Well, any intelligent life out there isn't going to want to talk to us. For a start, we are too far away, and the other reason is 1960's sitcoms. They would get about 40 lightyears away, look at the broadcasts and go home. If that didn't stop them, then reality TV would. Or football.
|
|
Crippler
Barfly
Beware the conspiracy!
Posts: 345
|
Post by Crippler on Oct 20, 2006 7:42:40 GMT 7
Don't worry! We come in peace! We will hurt Nobody! Do not be Afraid!  |
|
Escaped Lunatic
Barfly
Civet Burger? Sounds tempting. Can I get fries with that?
Posts: 567
|
Post by Escaped Lunatic on Oct 20, 2006 7:47:05 GMT 7
We've crossed any light years to get here and have a book. It's called "How to Serve Man"
|
|
|
|
Post by Mr Nobody on Oct 20, 2006 10:32:53 GMT 7
Yes. But what sauce is best?
|
|
|
|
Post by Becster79 on Oct 20, 2006 15:48:12 GMT 7
Hey Raoul, I'm an X Filer from WAAAYYYY back....that show was so educational, that's even where I learned about Arecibo from....aaahhh, that takes me back! I might just do this  |
|
|
|
Post by Raoul Duke on Oct 20, 2006 21:55:58 GMT 7
Please do! It's a bit of doing to get it all up and running, but well worth it. And you definitely get one cool-ass screen saver out of the deal.
Meanwhile, I like Dave Barry's theory... the aliens LOVE our TV shows, but have terrible taste. The only reason all those horrible shows and stupid commercials get on the air and then run so long is that the aliens threaten us with vaporization if we don't keep the shows coming...
|
|
Escaped Lunatic
Barfly
Civet Burger? Sounds tempting. Can I get fries with that?
Posts: 567
|
Post by Escaped Lunatic on Oct 20, 2006 23:27:26 GMT 7
>Yes. But what sauce is best?
Tabasco. The one Earthling invention that we will preserve after your planet is strip-mined.
>Meanwhile, I like Dave Barry's theory... the aliens LOVE our TV shows, but have terrible taste. The only reason all those horrible shows and stupid commercials get on the air and then run so long is that the aliens threaten us with vaporization if we don't keep the shows coming...
There was a GREAT Futurama episode about this. One group of aliens was quite upset when Ally McLawyer went off the air.
“The Pledge of Allegiance does not end with 'Hail Satan'.”
- Bart Simpson
|
|
|
|
Post by Raoul Duke on Oct 21, 2006 11:31:47 GMT 7
I loved Futurama. Wish it was still on. But at least I can buy the DVD boxed sets here for $7 a season...
Meanwhile, my BOINC is now in casters-up mode...a conflict with ZoneAlarm. If you're running ZoneAlarm (and oh, you SHOULD be running ZoneAlarm!) note that some but not all computers have a problem with BOINC.
Ah, science.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dragonsaver on Oct 21, 2006 16:52:47 GMT 7
But at least I can buy the DVD boxed sets here for $7 a season... I have to pay 7/CD inside the box so it gets very pricey. So does it run??  Should we download it?? I haven't downloaded zone alarm yet but probably will. |
|
|
|
Post by Raoul Duke on Oct 21, 2006 19:28:03 GMT 7
I usually pay 7/CD too....7 DOLLARS per season...
Loony, I'd try it. MOST computers seem to have no problem with BOINC and ZoneAlarm, but there is a chance they will conflict. Meanwhile, I'm on BOINC tech support like crabs on a cowboy, trying to get a solution...
|
|
Escaped Lunatic
Barfly
Civet Burger? Sounds tempting. Can I get fries with that?
Posts: 567
|
Post by Escaped Lunatic on Oct 22, 2006 9:46:07 GMT 7
>Loony, I'd try it. Ummmm, I think you mean Dragonsaver. I've been running it on and off since 1999 with no problems. Of course, if you want REAL SCIENCE, check out: www.phobe.com/yeti/  |
|
Escaped Lunatic
Barfly
Civet Burger? Sounds tempting. Can I get fries with that?
Posts: 567
|
Post by Escaped Lunatic on Nov 1, 2006 0:02:02 GMT 7
|
|
|
|
Post by Raoul Duke on Nov 1, 2006 0:05:25 GMT 7
You Bastard!  But I'm glad you brought this thread back up. Today BOINC suddenly started working...I'm getting Rosetta, Einstein, and SETI screen savers just fine and they're purty cool. Give it a try! BTW, Thanks, Loony, for joining our team... At least for SETI. I seem to be the only member in Rosetta and Einstein... |
|
|
|
Post by Raoul Duke on Dec 2, 2006 20:13:22 GMT 7
I FOUND SOMETHING!
I've been running SETI @ Home for some years...long before BOINC came about. I'm long accustomed to seeing the blocked red transformed radio data scrolling by.
However, I'm now getting 3 equidistant green bars from both of my last 2 data batches, from nearby tiny pieces of the sky.
In all these years, it's never been green before.
It seems I've found a triplet- 3 equally-timed radio pulses, one of the key things SETI is looking for...
Whoever and wherever they are, I'd just like to say to them that all expats are welcome here at the Saloon. And drinks are free for all expats wielding atomic death-ray blaster cannons.
|
|
Escaped Lunatic
Barfly
Civet Burger? Sounds tempting. Can I get fries with that?
Posts: 567
|
Post by Escaped Lunatic on Dec 2, 2006 21:09:35 GMT 7
Oh my. Once again, one of the locals intercepted one of our signals. I guess we'll need to eliminate all the witnesses. >And drinks are free for all expats wielding atomic death-ray blaster cannons. Those of us from Tau Ceti IV never leave home without our atomic death-ray blaster cannons.  "You can have my atomic death-ray blaster cannon when you pry it from my cold, dead tentacles." |
|
Newbs
SuperDuperBarfly! 
If you don't have your parents permission to be on this site, naughty, naughty. But Krusty forgives
Posts: 2,085
|
Post by Newbs on Dec 3, 2006 4:56:40 GMT 7
So, some time in the not too distant future little green men with antennae on their heads are going to land a flying saucer somewhere in a desert* and say "Take us to your leader." After a little kerfuffle they will end up in Washington and get an invite to see Dubya. However, when they meet him, they'll be disappointed and say, "No, we want to see your real leader, you know, the guy who runs the saloon in Suzhou."
*This scenario has been used many times before. It always amazes me that these guys can navigate half way across the Milky Way, but then the final few thousand kms, from a desert to a capital city, always has 'em beat.
|
|
|
|
Post by George61 on Dec 3, 2006 5:03:24 GMT 7
It always amazes me that these creatures from way-outer space, who have no thumbs, can actually build spaceships.
|
|
