Posted on 10/09/2004 8:00:12 AM PDT by Slings and Arrows
Man Fired For Using Computer To Search For Aliens Man Said He Used Computer During Off Hours
POSTED: 10:33 am EDT October 8, 2004
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The search for extraterrestrial life has ended at the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
The department on Thursday fired a computer programmer who admitted to using a state-owned computer server to process data for the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence project, run by the University of California at Berkeley.
Charles E. Smith, 63, told administrators he didn't think loading the SETI software on the server was much of a problem because he ran the program only on weekends and on weekdays between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m., when the server wasn't being used, according to a disciplinary report.
Department director Tom Hayes disagreed.
"I understand his desire to search for intelligent life in outer space, because obviously he doesn't find it in the mirror in the morning," Hayes said. "I think that people can be comfortable that security has beamed this man out of our building."
Smith, who earned $60,000 a year, didn't return a phone call seeking comment from The Plain Dealer.
There was no immediate response to messages left Friday by The Associated Press at the two phone listings in Columbus under the name Charles E. Smith.
Good points. My next question is "Who told the media?" This sounds a lot like personal vengence, and I suspect that it'll backfire in the [half-]witty supervisor's face.
If the network people where I work detect any unauthorized software on a PC, the user is asked to remove it in no uncertain terms.
Me either, I just joined the FReeper group.
Is that a real sign?
Why, when he could get another professional job at any company where the supervisors aren't morons like his last one.
He'll get his five minutes of fame, though, by being mentioned on Art Bell's Crazy People Coast-to-Coast radio show.
Are you trying to imply that the guy was "crazy" for running the SETI@home screensaver? If so, then you -- like his ex-supervisor -- are leaping to conclusions without having the first clue what the software actually does.
Ohhh. You a bad man!
When I saw the title I thought it referred to "illegal aliens" -- those criminals are already getting insane perks and passes.
Sure is. It's probably on I-5 near San Diego, but it could be anywhere along the Mexican border.
I'm running it right now at home.
I was running it at work until they disallowed any interactive programs like the SETI program, Weather Bug, news tickers, etc.
I just downloaded the SETI software and joined the FReeper group. Way cool.
I see that my computer time is -0.01sec. LOL I'm not helping the total!
Smith isn't crazy, just stupid.
*snort*
Using spare unused processor cycles is considered verboten?
That supervisor obviously is a dork.
Distributed.net would likely be somewhat amused by this.
I see lots of aliens at my local grocery store.. he didn't need a computer he needed a video camera.. Some people are just not mechanical I guess..
About 5 minutes before you get your butt kicked in a lot of places. Diplomacy is a skill that good managers learn fast.
Dialing out to points unknown probably is, considering that the department he works for probably has some fairly stringent privacy requirements it must operate under. On the one hand, we all know SETI is harmless enough, but the IT side of me says these things are locked down for a good reason. It sounds to me like he was high enough up to have administrative access to the machines, and was thus able to do things that were forbidden to end users. Can't have the guy who's supposed to be guarding the henhouse develop a taste for chicken, in the end.
Ultimately, whether unused or not, the resources weren't his for the taking - if this guy were a mechanic borrowing employer-owned tools without permission and for his own after-hours use, we wouldn't even be having this discussion.
Well, that would make more sense.
Thanks!
What do you choose to deal with employees, a cat of nine tails or a bullwhip? Goon management hasn't worked in a long time.
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