When will volunteer project end?

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ERSTRS
Posts: 75
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When will volunteer project end?

Post by ERSTRS »

How much longer will we be dusting for particles? Is there a projected end to the volunteer part of the project? Today is December 13, 2006. I've been dusting since August 11, 2006.
ERSTRS
bmendez
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Re: When will volunteer project end?

Post by bmendez »

ERSTRS wrote:How much longer will we be dusting for particles? Is there a projected end to the volunteer part of the project? Today is December 13, 2006. I've been dusting since August 11, 2006.
ERSTRS
Great Question!

Our original estimation was that it would take 7 months to complete the search. That would put the end somewhere in March. However, as we have mentioned in the recent updates, there have been various issues that have caused us to slow down some of the scanning. So, while it is difficult to guess just how much longer than 7 months the project will take, I'd guess that the first pass through the collector will be completed by late Spring/early Summer (for the northern hemisphere).

Thanks,
Bryan
"I am made from the dust of the stars, and the oceans flow in my veins"
- RUSH
the moon
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Post by the moon »

I don't know if ERSTRS asked that because he's getting burned out, but a lot of dusters seem like they are getting burned out. Since the project will continue for months and months you might want to give us an update every time new movies are added. That way people can take a break if there hasn't been any new movies in a while. There will be a few people that will keep going after every movie has been viewed over 200 times but I think most people will welcome the time off.
ERSTRS
Posts: 75
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When will project end?

Post by ERSTRS »

Reply to Bryan and "the moon,"

Thanks, Bryan, for letting me know this project may continue to next summer, and thanks to "the moon" for his sympathetic reply and suggestions. I was born June 20, 1929, and am an old retired lab-tech, living in a retirement community in Charleston,WV. And, yes, I think I'm into burnout. I've been spending 3 to 4 hours a day on the VM, and cannot continue this same pace through next spring. However, I love being a duster and it still is fun to look for those little dust particles. So, I think I'll just relax a little and drop back to one hour a day on the VM from now on. Evelyn R. Smith

Statistics for ERSTRS, December 14, 2006

Overall Score: 5369
Total Movies Viewed: 22186
Your Rank: 203 out of 20097
Specificity: 98.97%
Sensitivity: 95.16%
Evelyn
Nikita
DustMod
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Post by Nikita »

You know, there is NOTHING WRONG with taking a break! We have already exceeded expectations of volunteer time on the project. Since we have a lot more still to go, a break would be a great idea. If everyone just quit, we would be in a lot of trouble! But do check in on the forum for updates, and have a little fun! We still have the "trivia", "you might be a duster if" and "T-shirts and Logos" threads in the community forum. They are a little old, but can still be fun! For a while, we were rewriting songs too!
3 - 4 hours a day is a huge commitment and a big help! No one could ask for more and perhaps after a little break and fun on the forum, (and Amazon fixing their problems), you can come back and have more fun!
Thanks again and take care!
From dust we come
bmendez
Stardust@home Team
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Post by bmendez »

Hi All,

We can certainly understand that some might experience some burn-out. As Nikita says, spending hours per day is way beyond the call of duty. In a FAQ post, I had suggested that people only need to spend a minute per day in order for this to be successful. That was based on an assumption of about 10,000 active participants.

We have maybe about 4,000 volunteers who are logging in every day and searching, putting in lots of time. If only those people were participating and the project lasts for about 10 months, then it would work out to about 1 hour per month needed from each of those 4,000 volunteers (or 2 minutes per day).

So, especially if you aren't having as much fun, cut back a little. Enjoy the holidays. The VM will be waiting...

-Bryan

P.S. Concerning the number of volunteers and who they are, where they are from, etc... I have been attending a conference of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) this week in San Francisco and am giving a presentation tomorrow about Stardust@home. For the presentation I've been crunching some survey data we have and I have some preliminary analysis that is pretty interesting. If I get time this weekend, I'll post some details in an update.
"I am made from the dust of the stars, and the oceans flow in my veins"
- RUSH
Gamma^Ray
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Post by Gamma^Ray »

I also agree, I've spent untold many hours scanning through the movies, And to a certain extent, Almost seemed addicted to it awhile :lol: , But I also became somewhat burned out from it and stopped searching for around a month or so, With just occasionally popping in and scanning some more movies and then off to something else again. Nothing wrong with doing that, As like has been said, When it starts to become more of a chore than anything, Then take a break from it, And come back when you start to get that Stardust "Itch" once again. :)

Your Overall Score: 20175
Total Movies Viewed: 73607
Your Rank: 39 out of 20269
Specificity: 99.93%
Sensitivity: 99.92%


Regards,
G^R
A.Einstein wrote:"The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once."
ashish.nasa2007
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Jan 26, 2007 4:29 am
Location: india

Re: When will volunteer project end?

Post by ashish.nasa2007 »

hi all
I want to know whether spending hours on this project is benifitial for us.
Would NASA GIVE some preference to us ( in its space programs ) or it is just a waste of time!!!!!!!!!! :idea:
DustBuster
DustMod
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Re: When will volunteer project end?

Post by DustBuster »

ashish.nasa2007 wrote:hi all
I want to know whether spending hours on this project is benifitial for us.
Would NASA GIVE some preference to us ( in its space programs ) or it is just a waste of time!!!!!!!!!! :idea:
Greeting Ashish.

I would like to think (and feel many would agree) that new scientific discovery and the advancement of Man's collective knowledge helps the Human race as a whole.

I'm not sure I understand your second question. Could you elaborate on who you are describing as "us" and what type of preferencial treatment in the space programs you mean?

Regards.
cgbs2007
Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2007 6:53 pm
Location: Maryland, USA

for fun

Post by cgbs2007 »

I only found this site 1/16/07; as of logging in this morning, my sats are as follows:

Your Overall Score: 1235
Total Movies Viewed: 4527
Your Rank: 1066 out of 22169
Specificity: 99.51%
Sensitivity: 98.46%

On January 23rd at 11:30 am my rank was 2267 out of 22032 and I had viewed 1345 real movies. Please remember this is supposed to be enjoyable. If/when you get tired or bored you *should* take a break, and don't worry, new people are logging on all the time. They have added 137 people in 4 days.

I don't know about you but I am sure I won't ever get through 1mm movies, no matter how long I work on this. Since there is no way I can view them all, I am happy to do what I can and hope that my contribution helps. :)

Happy hunting!
oscar
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Location: Bellefonte, PA

Post by oscar »

I still find satisfaction participating in the StarDust project. I just finished looking at my 5005th movie.
However it is ok to take a break.
I am coming back after a 2 week hiatus 8)
What we think, we become. Buddha
cgbs2007
Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2007 6:53 pm
Location: Maryland, USA

for fun

Post by cgbs2007 »

Oscar, good luck with your break. I am having a great time doing this. I am the mother of two small children and find it quite surprisingly soothing to sit and view movies for a few minutes at a time here and there. It is fun to pick up my computer and sit quietly now and again and feel I am accomplishing something rather that staring at the tv or playing some random game.

Happy hunting!
MahFL
Posts: 20
Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 3:17 am
Location: Florida, USA.

Post by MahFL »

I recently started doing some more movies after a long break. I was surprised my rank had only dropped to 136 after all that time, not that the rank matters anymore......much.....lol. Oh and I think I spotted a real track too, which was nice.
xxxxxy
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Post by xxxxxy »

It is now anything clearly when this project will end?
ERSTRS
Posts: 75
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When will project end?

Post by ERSTRS »

Reply to MahFL, I've been dusting for seven months and am currently at rank #137. That means MahFL and I must be working close together. It would be nice to know who our nearby teammates are.

Reply to xxxxxy,

I, too am eager to hear an end projected. I would dearly love to see a list of the top 500 dusters---it would be such an encouragement to those of us who've worked long and hard, to get some recognition. I passed a score of 10,000 and had read more than 31,000 CM's, sometime ago, but no certificates are offered for those milestones.

It's been fun, though!
ERSTRS
Evelyn
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