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Microsoft's Paul Allen Funds ET Search
Chris Gondek writes "Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, one of the richest men on Earth, today pledged to donate $US13.5 million ($17.99 million) for research into extra-terrestrial life. With the contribution, Allen will have given $US25 million ($33.32 million) for construction of the Allen Telescope Array (ATA), a network of 350 radio telescopes being built to find signs of life in space, said Thomas Pierson, director of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute."
Microsoft is looking to hire!
"Give away the stone, let the oceans take and transmutate this cold and faded anchor." - Maynard James Keenan
He mentions $US and $? What is the anonymous $ value?
Darl McBride's cranium first. Lots of space there.
"And now, Frank N. Furter, your time has come. Say 'goodbye' to all of this, and 'hello'... to oblivion!"
What software will be used to interpret any readings gathered by these telescopes? I mean using a trojan infected XP box could lead to an intergalactic incident if these telescopes wind up port flooding the aliens' array.
This is obviously part of a grand scheme to transmit free copies of Microsoft Office to nearby star systems.
thank you, i'll be here all night
will he get the blue busy signal of death?
" ...many schools are still overcrowded, don't have money to make crucial repairs, and our jobs are still being outsourced leaving many people struggling. But darn it, let's find those aliens!" ...and spend the rest of the money for the war against terror.
Seems like a lot of an ATA array. I can get 'em off newegg for $100!
Of course -- Microsoft _needs_ to find new customers. We both know that...
They were looking for someone who liked them. It's getting pretty hostile for them here on Earth. Either that or a new customer base. Everyone knows Aliens run Apple. That's why their networks run Appletalk and are succeptable to virusses written on Apple computers. Maybe Microsoft's looking to push into that market.
I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?
... since he's related to Microsoft, this contribution has to be wrong or evil for some reason.
Come on, get those conspiracy theories going already!
Like with Starbucks and Mc Donalds, hasn't Microsoft reached saturation? Gotta sell those licenses somehow. And once they have our computers, further scientific study is EASY. We can just use spyware. :>
--- For a good time mail uce@ftc.gov
Microsoft wants to find someone/thing that has NOT heard of Linux.
it would make more sense to me to make a signal that would shoot out faster than radio and television signals
If you find a way to make a communications device that transmits faster than light, I will personally hand-deliver the Nobel Prize to you, along with twenty prostitutes of the gender of your choice. Oh, and a plaque. Can't be an award without a plaque.
We are transmitting, and have been for over 70 years.
Ever since the invention of radio transmissions, there has been an expanding bubble of random RF moving away from the Earth at the speed of light.
Any sufficiently advance civilisation within 70 light years or so already knows we're here.
Conversly, our own listening is far more likely to pick up an advertorial for a product to keep your tentacles young and scaly looking than any message intended for us.
If my call is important, why am I talking to a recording?