E.T. Search Continues with SETI@home 2.0 -- The SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) project has updated its SETI@home client to version 2.0, adding security features, improving proxy support, and fixing bugs to the software that utilizes distributed computer processing power to analyze data from the Arecibo radio telescope. (See "SETI Brings Space Exploration to Home Macs" in TidBITS-482.) The new software attempts to thwart some people's efforts to improve their SETI@home rankings by checking for unauthorized changes to data files and deleting those files. As a result, new data work units require the SETI@home 2.0 software; in other words, you must update to continue participating in the project. The client also boasts better support for SOCKS and HTTP proxies, Mac OS 9 compatibility, more accurate CPU time calculation, and faster data processing if the application window is hidden using the WindowShade control. Graphically, SETI@home 2.0 features a new indicator displaying Gaussian curve analysis results. Due to an existing bug, System 7.x users not currently running the Appearance Manager will need to wait for an upcoming release. SETI@home 2.0 requires a PowerPC-based Mac with at least 24 MB of RAM and is a free 360K download. [JLC]

<http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/>
<http://db.tidbits.com/article/05401>
<http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/mac.html>