# ATTN: SETI@home Straight Dopers **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 20, 2002, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attn-seti-home-straight-dopers/133035 "2002-10-20T01:26:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2004, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attn-seti-home-straight-dopers/133035/261 "2004-04-06T23:59:18Z")
I’ve been trying to join the group, with my whole three data units, but get server-down errors every time - over about two weeks. Anyone else having problems? ---
**Author:** ![Demo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demo/32/8472_2.png) [@Demo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demo)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2004, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attn-seti-home-straight-dopers/133035/262 "2004-04-07T05:08:57Z")
> [@GawnFishin'](#): > > Now that we have surpassed the dark side it would appear as though we have given up the chase? It seemed to me we’d gained approximately 15 new members in less than two weeks. We should be able to pull together and possibly move further up the lists. Is it possible for us to make the top 200 groups list? I don’t see why not. I’m on my way over from a.f.c-a with ~ 5000 WUs. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Demo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demo/32/8472_2.png) [@Demo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demo)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2004, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attn-seti-home-straight-dopers/133035/263 "2004-04-07T06:01:10Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > I’ve been trying to join the group, with my whole three data units, but get server-down errors every time - over about two weeks. Anyone else having problems? Their website is really crummy. Try to do a hard refresh (with ctrl-F5 in Windows) and give it time to load. I just switched teams a few minutes ago, although it took a while. ---
**Author:** ![Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bren_Cameron_1)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2004, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attn-seti-home-straight-dopers/133035/264 "2004-04-07T13:29:00Z")
I’ve joined, with my almost 400 units. I had trouble signing up, too, when I used the “join” link in the OP and went straight to the form (more or less), but when I went to the group’s page and clicked the “join” link, it worked like a charm. ---
**Author:** ![Fish\_Cheer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fish_cheer/32/17179_2.png) [@Fish\_Cheer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish_Cheer)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2004, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attn-seti-home-straight-dopers/133035/265 "2004-04-07T13:34:02Z")
> [@GawnFishin'](#): > > Is it possible for us to make the top 200 groups list? Where’s this list? I tried to look for it, but I kinda lost track when the server died on me for the fifth time in row. ---
**Author:** ![mkl12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@mkl12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mkl12)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2004, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attn-seti-home-straight-dopers/133035/266 "2004-04-07T14:38:43Z")
> [@fishcheer15](#): > > Where’s this list? I tried to look for it, but I kinda lost track when the server died on me for the fifth time in row. Try this list: [http://gemini.setiatwork.com/cgi-bin/compare\_teams.cgi?type=0&pre=40&post=10&id=147143](http://gemini.setiatwork.com/cgi-bin/compare_teams.cgi?type=0&pre=40&post=10&id=147143) It’s not official and usually a day or two behind, but it shows more than just the first 200 teams. We are 1020 right now and will be around 960 when our most recent additions are counted. ---
**Author:** ![Fish\_Cheer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fish_cheer/32/17179_2.png) [@Fish\_Cheer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish_Cheer)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2004, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attn-seti-home-straight-dopers/133035/267 "2004-04-07T14:54:40Z")
:eek: Thanks, **mkl12**. I don’t see us in the Top 200 any time soon, though… ---
**Author:** ![GawnFishin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9bcb4/32.png) [@GawnFishin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GawnFishin)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attn-seti-home-straight-dopers/133035/268 "2004-04-08T02:51:48Z")
> [@fishcheer15](#): > > :eek: > > Thanks, **mkl12**. > > I don’t see us in the Top 200 any time soon, though… As I pointed out though we’ve managed to gain nearly 20 users in two weeks. So there is a chance however small. Currently 20th is UC Berkley with 438829WU’s and 307 users. The team in 199th place only has 5 users, so we have a chance, it may be a slim chance, ok it is probably a non-existant chance but it’s a chance I’m willing to take. Who’s with me? ---
**Author:** ![LolaBaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@LolaBaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaBaby)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attn-seti-home-straight-dopers/133035/269 "2004-04-08T03:30:44Z")
I think it’s possible. 😃 I think I figured it out (my earlier question), it’s just collecting results from all three (yeah, they are all under the same name). As long as no one gets irritated with us SETI geeks bumping this occasionally, then I don’t mind doing it. ---
**Author:** ![Dante](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dante/32/9673_2.png) [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2004, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attn-seti-home-straight-dopers/133035/270 "2004-04-08T13:21:27Z")
Okey dokey, I’m in. I’ve got a pretty powerful rig, so I’m just keeping mine running 24/7. It should process 1 unit every 11 hours or so. If I process “THE” signal, can I have a pony? ---
**Author:** ![Fish\_Cheer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fish_cheer/32/17179_2.png) [@Fish\_Cheer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish_Cheer)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2004, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attn-seti-home-straight-dopers/133035/271 "2004-04-11T18:51:53Z")
> [@GawnFishin'](#): > > Who’s with me? I never said we shouldn’t try. Count me in. (this actually is the scheduled bump) ---
**Author:** ![GawnFishin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9bcb4/32.png) [@GawnFishin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GawnFishin)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2004, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attn-seti-home-straight-dopers/133035/272 "2004-04-14T00:07:54Z")
:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![brachyrhynchos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brachyrhynchos/32/376_2.png) [@brachyrhynchos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brachyrhynchos)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2004, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attn-seti-home-straight-dopers/133035/273 "2004-04-14T01:21:32Z")
Uncle, uncle, uncle! Yeah, I’m spineless, but I come with 5379 units, placing me second behind **rackman** , and ahead of \*\*Demo \*\* 🆒😃 . Bean Counter, I’ve seen the light! Forgive my fickle nature and join us…join us…join us… ---
**Author:** ![GawnFishin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9bcb4/32.png) [@GawnFishin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GawnFishin)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2004, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attn-seti-home-straight-dopers/133035/274 "2004-04-15T16:49:59Z")
> [@brachyrhynchos](#): > > Bean Counter, I’ve seen the light! Forgive my fickle nature and join us…join us…join us… Ok, but we still need more people who can see the light… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bean\_Counter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/db5fbb/32.png) [@Bean\_Counter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bean_Counter)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2004, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attn-seti-home-straight-dopers/133035/275 "2004-04-15T21:08:53Z")
> [@brachyrhynchos](#): > > Bean Counter, I’ve seen the light! Forgive my fickle nature and join us…join us…join us… Traitor… :mad: The lights are kind of pretty, though… Hmmmm… Pretty lights… ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attn-seti-home-straight-dopers/133035/276 "2004-04-16T07:57:50Z")
_:sniff: :sniff:_ This…this is really beautiful, everyone. We are all fans of Cecil Adams. We are all Straight Dopers. ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attn-seti-home-straight-dopers/133035/277 "2004-04-16T16:43:00Z")
When I was just using the command-line version, my times on this computer here at work were around ~10 hours, which was really sucky. As I said above, I’ve set it up as a service. I’ll have to check at home to see if I had any time gain (average computer time was about ~4 hours) running it as a service, but here, at least, it went down to about 8.5 hours. So that’s nice. If anyone has access to multiple computers, running it as a service is the way to go. There is almost zero slowdown. Unless you’re loading monster databases locally or compiling huge programs every ten minutes it is pretty convenient. It doesn’t have the advantage of multiple work units, though, so if you lose your internet connection a lot, one of the other modules is a better bet. I don’t really have that problem, so I just let it go. Right now there are four computers here at work running it “secretly,” and my home computer. For typical applications (Word, Access, IE, Outlook, CD burning apps, moderately-sized graphics in paintshop, etc) I have not noticed any difference at all. Since it is running as a service, it basically replaces the system idle task. I made a batch file that can be called from the Run dialog box as: ```auto seti // step-by-step starting or stopping, including a message about whether it is currently running seti switch // switch states explicitly with no other input from user seti start // if it is not running, start the service; otherwise, do nothing seti stop // if it is running, stop the service; otherwise, do nothing ``` I’ve found it pretty user friendly. If anyone wants some guidance on the issue, you can try searching for “Running SETI service”, or email me for directions; everything you’d need fits on a single floppy. This is pretty much Win2K and NT operation; I don’t have any XP machines anywhere so I don’t know if it will work (I don’t see why not, but I haven’t tested it). Word of warning. If you use something like the Seti Driver (which can spawn multiple command-line Seti programs) as the service, and something goes wrong, Windows will stop Seti Driver, but not the corresponding spawned instances of the command-line programs. If you have to use this, or **Demo** ’s suggestion, I’d avoid the service route. ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attn-seti-home-straight-dopers/133035/278 "2004-04-16T16:47:16Z")
I should add, by little batch file only works under 2K (and XP). WinNT doesn’t have the “set /p” switch available. I don’t really feel like writing a batch file that accepts user input for NT, which requires QBASIC. So, er, sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Idaho\_Red](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ba9def/32.png) [@Idaho\_Red](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idaho_Red)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attn-seti-home-straight-dopers/133035/279 "2004-04-17T07:13:50Z")
Okay, I DL’d the command line version and SETI spy. I can’t join yet as I haven’t received my password so I can’t login. (I had the same problem with my confirmation e-mail when I registered here - the hamsters ate it! Do you think they use the same hamsters there?) So whenever I manage to join I’ll be bringing a few units. I checked my stats and was shocked that at 1 unit I “have completed more units than 34% of our users” I mean really, 34% have \*never \* completed a single unit? 😕 Why get it if you’re not gonna use it? ---
**Author:** ![GawnFishin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9bcb4/32.png) [@GawnFishin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GawnFishin)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2004, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attn-seti-home-straight-dopers/133035/280 "2004-04-21T11:51:46Z")
> [@mkl12](#): > > Try this list: > [SETIatWork: Compare Classic SETI@home Teams Statistics](http://gemini.setiatwork.com/cgi-bin/compare_teams.cgi?type=0&pre=40&post=10&id=147143) > > It’s not official and usually a day or two behind, but it shows more than just the first 200 teams. We are 1020 right now and will be around 960 when our most recent additions are counted. According to the link, as a group we are 860th place and processing approximately 750 WU’s per day. According to the list we could gain another 100 places in approximately 1 month. Can we show them how good us Straight Dopers are. I’m now up to 2800 WU’s and I’m still in 12th place within our group. It would be nice to see if some of you could manage to bump me out of the top 20. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attn-seti-home-straight-dopers/133035.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attn-seti-home-straight-dopers/133035.md?page=15)