Re: intent of package seti@home

[ron@microtronics.com.au (Ron)]

> Is a terrible non-free for this point of the FAQ:
> 
> Q)Why don't you release the source code? 
> 
> A)We decided not to make source code available for security reasons and for
>   science reasons as well. We have to have everyone
>   do the exact same analysis, or we can't have any control over our research
>   and be confident in our results. We were also
>   worried that there may be a few people that want to deliberately try to
>   screw up our database and server. 

hmm..  sounds like they shrink wrapped distributed.net's excuse for being
non-free..

it's one of the reasons I don't run their daemon anymore either.  I'm all
for the idea of donating 'unused' cpu cycles to something else -- but if
they won't let me see what they are using it for, and refuse to even share
the technology that makes it possible, then they can go buy their own
computers IMHO.

I suspect the real reason is that the code is such a 'secret', is that
people may find more compelling uses of their own for all those spare
cycles ...

Still..  I guess there would be more people interested in claiming that
their computer is busy analysing squeaks from the aether than there are
who would glow at it recompiling X in under 5 minutes ;-)

best,
Ron.

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The search for extra terrestrial life begins at home ...