When trying to help someone it is a right royal pain when they say "My computer is doing xxxxxx", and you can't see what hardware and software they are using so can give them very wrong advise.
It's not as if we can do anything other than see the data that is sent out by the servers (processor types, RAM size, operating system, and the task list).

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Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

I also agree with Rob about this as so many ask for help, but it's hard to give answers to questions when we can't see what's actually going on.

I usually invite them to check out my computers just to show them that nothing sensitive can be seen anyway and then there's the 2-3hr wait after a person has changed that setting for it to take effect.

Cheers.

It's not as if we can do anything other than see the data that is sent out by the servers (processor types, RAM size, operating system, and the task list).

But that's the whole setup behind it. Some processor manufacturers test new CPUs using BOINC/Seti, and although they can't hide the processor type or name, they may not want a visible account associated with it.

I hid mine when I realised someone was
making erm... troublesome use of my "last
contact" information in order to inundate
my inbox with pms and other such
contact methods.

I wasn't exactly awash with free time to
reply immediately and they would get,
impatient and a bit, ratty about it, or
worse :/

I know to unhide them if there was a
problem I needed help with, but I'm not
sure I could be persuaded to do so
otherwise :\