This isn't necessarily a problem, but I'm wondering why I get a notice of message when there is none. I just started running BOINC (BOINC Version: 7.14.2), having long ago run SETI@home, and decided to get back into the game. I downloaded the packages via Science United (having created a login/password account there), and things have seemed to start working. (When trying to find info on the BOINC forums, I found I needed to create an account HERE too, although that wasn't mentioned on the Science United setup.) When I look at the BOINC Manager, I see it's running "AP27 Search" from PrimeGrid. I click "Notices" and, among general notices, it says I have a "Private Message." I click that link, it goes to PrimeGrid login page, wants me to log in. So, I have to create a login there as well, but then it says I have no private messages. Bottom line, is this something to worry about? I'm inclined to ignore it for now, but still a bit unnerving. Thanks.

I suspect the private message was that you have to sign up on the prime grid forums in order to post messages there, rather than just doing it through Science United.

I prefer to sign up to individual projects and don't like the model SU uses which greatly reduces the amount of control the end user has as to where there crunching power goes.

The big problem here is that the private message will have been sent to the account which Science United created for you. The account you created for yourself is a different account, and there's no communication between them.

So far as I know, there's no way of retrieving a PM sent to an SU account. It will have to remain a mystery, but it probably didn't contain anything important.

The big problem here is that the private message will have been sent to the account which Science United created for you. The account you created for yourself is a different account, and there's no communication between them.

So far as I know, there's no way of retrieving a PM sent to an SU account. It will have to remain a mystery, but it probably didn't contain anything important.

Another reason to sign up to projects directly.

Thank you all for your replies; they all make sense. Regarding signing up to a project "directly," what little I searched when first looking up SETI@home took me first to SU, thus signing up there. I suppose a prudent course of signing up would be to first go to BOINC (and register), then a project site (and register). No problems, a project is presently working so I'm contributing my tiny amount to the pursuit of science. Thanks again, all, and keep safe.

Rick

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In general, the principle behind BOINC is:

1) Download and install the BOINC software. No account or signup needed.
2) From within BOINC, choose and attach to individual projects. The attachment process creates the project account for you.

And that, more or less, is that.

In recent years, people (and lawmakers) have become more concerned about rights to privacy. Some projects now prefer you to create your account via their webpage, so they can obtain and record your informed consent to their terms of use. But I think that's still the exception, rather than the rule.

In recent years, people (and lawmakers) have become more concerned about rights to privacy. Some projects now prefer you to create your account via their webpage, so they can obtain and record your informed consent to their terms of use. But I think that's still the exception, rather than the rule.

But for those who are interested in combined statistics, a lot of those that don't require sign up via the website do require you to visit it and explicitly allow export of information to the aggregation sites.