Predictor is currently not on Berkeley's list of projects and I hope it stays that way. Predictor gives BOINC and the DC community a bad name by condoning the use of hijacked computers. We need to get Predictor shunned by the entire community. For a start, they should be stricken from the lists of all the stats sites so they aren't advertised via credit brag banners in forum sigs. Are there any other sites that promote Predictor that could be contacted with regarding dropping any and all mention of Predictor.

Dear Mr. Anderson,

I'm supporting BOINC now for a long time - with my time, my computer (and my money) - i do it voluntarily and I really like to do it.

But that what happened today at the Predictor Message Boards is outrageous and in no way tolerable, I would say.

I guess that you know about the BOINC User called Wate who illegally installed BOINC on other users computers using trojan software. Although I'm not one of "Wates" victims, but I do believe that this topic is true and sincere.

Thanks to the effort of an italian team, this has been revealed and most projects reacted adequately (e.g. closed his account). Only Predictor Admin Mr. Braun refused to consider any actions against "Wate". Well ok, thats his opinion, its his right to do so. But it wasnt his right to close the relevant thread, imho.

As can be expected, some users couldnt understand his point of view and posted a few messages at "Predictor Message Boards". They were in no way insulting, they all abid by the Message Board rules!

Nevertheless, Mr. Braun deleted most of these posts, deleted whole threads and repeatedly banned users from posting. I've been banned too until the year of 2038 (well, ok, I opened a thread asking him to do so, but despite that there was no reason to do so - and I'd say he had no right to do so!)

Mr. Braun is obvisiously overreacting, he called us an angry mob, although this so-called "mob" only started at the point when he began to delete posts and threads - but even these posts abid by the Message Board Rules (except one of the last posts of an angry user calling him a fascist - even I gave this user a negative answer!)!

Mr. Braun badly damages the project and the image of BOINC, imho! There were several users posting that they will quit the project (these posts have been deleted as well!)

Honestly, I dont really know what I would expect you, Mr. Anderson, to do now in this case. I just think that you as BOINC Architect and Director might want to have a word with Mr. Braun and asking him for his reasons censoring other peoples opinions! Cause thats what he did: Censorship! As I said before: Except one post, all other deleted posts simply described users opinions in a friendly and respectable way about Mr. Braun sitting on his hands concerning "Wate".

May I give you some more links on this topic:

http://boinc.berkeley.edu/dev/forum_thread.php?id=1571 Original post by mo.v (The original original post is in italian, dont have this link) - now also discussing the censorship of Mr. Braun

http://predictor.scripps.edu/forum_thread.php?id=2477 The thread at Predictor Message Boards about the Trojan Installation - closed and censored by Mr. Braun

http://predictor.scripps.edu/forum_thread.php?id=2530 My post accusing Mr. Braun of Censorship - closed and heavily censored by Mr. Braun

http://www.boincsynergy.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=10000 - BOINC Synergy thread about "Wate" - from page 2 discussing Mr. Brauns censorship

Me and including many others are awaiting your answer!

Yours sincerely, Steffen Grundmann

(BOINC Nick Shai Hulud)
Proud supporter of BOINC Projects