Boinc Privacy and my statistics on Google

[GMan]

Hi all,

I have a question regarding privacy with Boinc. This is my situation.

I just started my new web design company and I typed my name in a
Google to check for a results.

1st result is from LinkedIn, not perfect but thats OK
2nd result is from Boinc, hm... again thats OK
3rd result is my company website, that's what I want to see

... and then I have like a 30 results from Boinc all of them with a
same statistic, MY NAME, and every result is from different Boinc
country website.

Now, I really want to continue donating my computer time to Seti@Home
program, I'm a member since 2001, but if this is going to result by
flooding Google with my name and statistics so that my business and my
privacy are jeopardized that I will really consider deleting my
account (if this is going to help at all).

My question is: Is there a option to prevent Boinc from publishing my
statistics online? I spent a lot of time trying to solve this but no
luck.

Thank you in advance,
GMan
disappointed Boinc & Seti member

[John 37309]

Gman,

There is a very simple solution to this. You are most likely using your personal name and your company name in your BOINC account details. Just change them to something anonymous Like the name "Gman" as your user name. And remove your company URL from your profile if you have included it.

 

From this link on SETI@home you can change your user name and URL;

http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/edit_user_info_form.php

 

From this link on SETI@home you can change other details;

http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/home.php

For other BOINC projects you have run on your PC, your should visit the project home page and change your details there also.

 

Once you have done this, give the stats websites 48 hours to update your new user name and details. Then give about another week or two for the search engine crawl bots to see the new data and then things should be better.

 

But either way Gman, this is an issue with whats called "Search engine optimization" of your website. You should learn more about this if you want your website to appear as No1 when people look for your company on the internet. Read this just for starters; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_engine_optimization

 

Hope that helps,

John.

[Ionel Mugurel Ciobica]

On 23-03-2008, at 23h 12'18", GMan wrote about "[boinc-team-founders] Boinc Privacy and my statistics on Google"
>
> Hi all,
>
[...]

>
> My question is: Is there a option to prevent Boinc from publishing my
> statistics online? I spent a lot of time trying to solve this but no
> luck.
>

Why don't you use an alias instead of your real name with boinc
applications? Or just use your first name (without last name)?

Ionel

[GMan]

Thank you all for your reply!

I'm a web designer for a number of years now, and I know how how
search engines work, but this issue is still confusing to me.

I joined Seti@Home back in 2001 and then I used my real name (I know,
BIG mistake) to register. Last few years Seti software was not on my
machine, due to company policy, and few months ago I decided to give
Seti a chance again. Then I found that Boinc software is a new
substitute for Seti@Home Classic (I'm not sure about name). So, I
downloaded Boinc and I changed my real name to alias.

And there is a problem. Even after 2 months, Seti is probably keeping
my old statistic and my old name somewhere so even I had change my
real name my statistic is still shown when someone type my name in
Google. Earlier, when I had old Seti software, even if statistic is
show in Google results, there was just one link to page with
statistics.

Just like now, I don't mind my name to be shown as number 2 result,
even before my business, because I'm proud that I'm donating my
computer time to science, but I'm not happy that after that result
there is a 18 (yup, I count them this time) results from Boinc again,
with a same statistics just from different domain like:
kr.boincstats.com, tw.boincstats.com, it.boincstats.com.... This
flooding is a problem for me because some other links that I would
prefer to be shown in Google, like my projects links, my text in
online magazines, etc... are who know where.

Looks like there is no other solution than to wait and see is Boinc
statistic going to change my name at some point.

Anyway, Boinc has very good admin panel, rich with options, so I think
that one more option like: Do you want to publish your statistics
online (YES/NO), with default YES will be very useful. Even if someone
chose NO you could still use that statistics but just remove name
information from publishing.

Thank you again all for your replies!

GMan

[John 37309]

These stats links; kr.boincstats.com, tw.boincstats.com, it.boincstats.com....

should disappear in about a month if you have changed your user name and URL links.

 

Lesson learned here; If you type your real name into the internet somewhere, its difficult or impossible to get it removed from search engines.

 

John.

[John 37309]

Also,

If you have a SETI Classic account on this website; http://seticlassic.ssl.berkeley.edu/

You should try login and change your user name and details. I don't know if this is even possible at this stage as SETI Classic is finished.

 

John.

[GMan]

Thank you guys for your posts,

There is no other thing to do except wait and see is there going to be
any change in Google results soon.

I will keep you informed.

PS: Seti Classic is dead...

Regards,
GMan