On Sun, 23 May 2004 13:13:41 GMT, "Mike Bader" <mdbader@flash.net> wrote:

http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/boinc_transition_plan.html

Why is SETI@home switching to BOINC?
Several reasons:
BOINC transparently and securely downloads new application versions. This
lets us upgrade and extend SETI@home without requiring you to download and
install new software. It will make it easy for us to integrate new
algorithms, such as analyzing our 8 bit/sample reobservation data, or
looking for other types of radio signals such as short pulses from
evaporating black holes.

Maybe I'm paranoid, maybe I have too much experience with Microsoft and sloppy
programmers, but this auto-updating really bothers me. It never fails. You
install new software, and something goes wrong. Especially if you're on the
leading edge ("they're selling that stuff already?"), or the trailing edge
("people still use those antiques?").

Of course, other issues would be whether or not the client could be "tricked"
into downloading a fake update or higher security installations not allowing
software that updates itself.

I trust Seti@home more than I trust Microsoft, but I'm still not sure if that's
enough for me to install Boinc.

- ---
Norman
Please reply via group. E-mail ID does not exist.