It was created in November 2005, in One project, Seti. I was asked to join in April 2006, and was the first one joining the team. I connected to Boinc to join the team, crunching from day one. And so it continued for over a year, when I in addition started to read and post on the Seti boards, started to learn about how it all works, and begun to work for the team to grow. People started to join, and I expanded the team to some more projects. The founder of the team in the Seti project eventually left Sicituradastra. I was here continuing to found Sicituradastra. in the other projects, working on the team all the time, enjoying it and happy to do the job. What is important to say: To be a team leader is mainly about a responsibility, not about ownership. I enjoy the responsibility of being a team leader. 

A team forum was created in June 2009. I was lucky enough to get some help from a team member who have enough server space. ;-) In May 2009 this team had a few millions in Boinc overall, and about 1 million in Seti, and was still a very small team. Nine months later This team had 1 Billion credits. And it continued to grow. Quickly.

Its hard for me to say why This team took off like it did. It would be better to ask some of the members directly. ; Anyways.. I could have been in any Team – I just happened to be here, working for it, from the bottom. Giving the team an identity and a mission. That’s what I did back then, and that’s what I still do. I am here for the team.

I mentioned that the issue about the “start” of a team, and what its all about, could probably also be put into light of someone talking as “a member”. So I add in a members voice here, as a closure of this question

“Patrick Harnett*:

A team starts with one person in one project. However, there is an important difference between when a team is physically created and when it becomes a team.

Sicituradastra. became a team when ArizonaMoon* put ideas, vision, desire ,drive and purpose into creating something that other members would be happy to make part of their lives, and happy to run boinc projects. The result is that we, the members, like the Team and it is a nice place. Most members know of other teams or groups where the team operates in a more restrictive or controlling way, or where members are simply not nice to each other. So, I think the creation date and who was there on day one is less important explaining our team history and that it is more important that someone put in a huge effort to make something positive.

For myself, I started with Seti Classic in November 2001, but was invited to join in April 2010, so I am not one of the original members, nor one of the most recent. “

2. What does the symbol "*" next to the nickname of some members of the team mean?

The * behind the members names means “of the Star-team” or “of the Astra Family”  Many teams ask their members to add a bracket [ ] with team name behind their nick.  I always meant that doesn’t look too good.  One day the idea came up that it would be nice to have a * behind our name, just to show we see ourselves as part of this special family  – and so I added it to my name around in the projects. Some other followed. And by time it has become a sort of identity that many of us wouldn’t  lose – almost like our passport.

Its  totally free for our members if they want to add it or not. Many have added it in all their projects. Some may feel it weird to put a star in their hair.. Others again have many projects, and just don’t take time to add it everywhere, but may have it on a few projects.  Anyway – I am always glad when I see it happen – and its really nice  to see  the “star guys” on a list of users.. say in the Country stats, where you can  look down the list and find people with this *. Its clean and simple, but you know at once they are in Sicituradastra.

3. Your team is one of the strongest in the world. But the participants in it are not very many. How to join the team? You agree not everyone?

 That’s right. Its quite amazing!   The other top teams have thousands and thousands of members… This one has only 300, from all around the world – and even fewer are active.  But its good to not be too big. There are several advantages with that. And to be big is for sure not a “goal” in itself.  And what is it to be “big” anyway? Everyone is welcome to join. But to be honest, I do not like what I call “Zombie-accounts” ;-) People who join up to the team not meaning to do anything.. but just have created an account. Those accounts will be removed from the team.

So.. one can be a member here, crunching 100 or 1000 or 100.000 or a million a day.. But I want Active members. People who join here and are Not active from the beginning, can not be seen as members of me. Though, active crunchers may become inactive after a while. That’s something else. To join one mainly needs One thing: The wish to crunch – and doing what one can with what one got.

4. In your team there are active people.  Are they willing to support the various initiatives and ideas?

 We do of course have many members who for one or another reason has stopped to crunch, or is taking a break. But for those who Are active – there are a high level of positive attitude. They are by no doubt very interested in crunching and computers. Their reason to crunch may vary, and which projects they are most interested in also Varies. That’s natural. And there is no claim to crunch so or so. But still, many of them are joining up when ever we decide to do a challenge or other things… Why so, should be for them to answer, but I think that it people are happy being where they are – there is no need to push anyone to help out. Isn’t that how it should be in a healthy family?

5. Is there a team priority project?

 There is a very short answer to that: No. Our priority is not about a specific project – but about having fun.  It’s about supporting each member in what They want.. and help each other. Many of us see each other as friends as well.. (or say “being in a family” – as we use to say.. We are people first.. and crunchers next. 

6.

Tell us a little about yourself. What do you do in real life? Your personal web site often mention the word "moon." Do you like the moon?

Well… I live on a little island.. in the middle of a group of several hundreds of islands, that is the Westernmost community in Norway. And I love it here!  The peace and the clear air, the high sky – the light and the colours,  the ocean.. the bright stars  at nights.. I love it all.  And I see myself as very lucky to be able to live here. Also in my real life I meet a lot of people during the year. I work in the tourist  business..  renting out small apartments, located on my  island. Not only tourists comes here, of course. Also workers and people who just come to visit family – but need extra room to stay.  Also we have people who come to celebrate all kind of occasions: birthdays, weddings – what ever. And also work / business related groups coming here to have meetings in a special environment.   We also make food by order – so there can be a lot to do. My work time is – all day on alert -  very different amount of work from one day to another. Some days too much, other days nothing. It’s correct to say that it make me quite strange.. lol 

Along with this, I take care of my sons and our home.. just like other people. I spend time with my friends when I can. I love dancing, and music. So when ever I have the  possibility to combine those two, I do it. Other interests that may take more or less time, and change on the priority list over years are genealogy, photography, oil painting, reading (mainly thrillers and psychological stuff) , handcraft, flowers, and probably other things  that I forget

to mention. But in fact… what I like most is to do “nothing”. ; To just sit down, talking with someone who are on a visit, focus on the moment, and forget about everything else.. That’s what I like the best.

The moon..  Yes.. I like the moon. First of all I’m a night-person. I love the Quietness – and the special about nights is that it sort of turn our view inwards – It’s when we sort out all that happens during days… either unconscious, During our sleep – or conscious – by being awake.. and being active about it. Nights are “private time”, time for oneself. Time for reflection.

And that’s also what the Moon is about. 

7. You have an original nickname. What is its history?

 AriZonaMoon* -  Yes, many have wondered about my nickname. ;-) Especially when they notice I’m from Norway. Lol.  Also many have asked, in private, what its about. Not said its “easy” to explain, but I’ll tell you the history… as far as its possible. Many years ago – long before I started in Boinc, I came in a situation where I needed a Nick name.  I had never used any, always been myself, including using my own real name, So I had really No idea what to call myself. I decided to just let it work by itself, by letting the question go, and do my daily tasks. And after a few days – whilst I was  walking across the floor in my kitchen, it fell into my head - this one word: AriZona.  Hmm.. I don’t know where it came from.. lol – I “tasted” it mentally, and found that yes; It actually sounds like me.   A bit strange maybe, because its used as a name on a state in the US, But anyway… it’s a name.  So it was decided.  Later I checked up the name.. and found that its a Spanish word – made of a native American word, meaning: Little source.  And that suited my quite fine: Because its true. I'm little… but a source.. for sure.  Lol.

 The “Moon” add came later.  And as mentioned before here, it has to do with reflection – and to be “awake” during nights – during the darkness..  Reflection is also about “meeting” people - to take each person serious, and see the value in everyone. That has always been my main wish during life, and each day I hope to get better in it. I’m interested in people - as humans, as recourses, as mental creatures, as ideas, and everyone is a “history book” in themselves. When being interested in people – there is no end of the journey, and it never gets boring.   You can read the first three entries in “The MoonRoom” on my web-page, as an addition to understand. It might be a bit weird maybe, so maybe you don’t understand much more After all..  he-he. 

8. Why are you interested in distributed computing? It is not usual for a woman.

 Oh..  Well.. I started out of the same reasons as I think most people do; It sounds great to be able to “help” science, even if knowing nothing about it all. And that’s true –  I’m not a scientist, and I’m not a geek .  I don’t know “much” about computers – but I like computers.. and I like getting an overview – I like numbers, just for the numbers own sake.  From I was very young, only 4-5 years old, I could sit with my grandparents office desk, playing with bills, and calculate the numbers… just for the fun of it. Lol.  And that’s what I do now too.. with the stats: Calculate numbers, just for the fun of it.  I use my computer as a computer is meant to be used.. and I can even help out others with it, by running these projects.. and I connect to people, who are my main interest.  All this is possible to do through Boinc and Distributed Computing.  Three in one – like a “Kinder Egg”

All good things are three, right? As Hope, Faith and Love.

9. Is it easy for you to manage a team of men?

 Men.?  Well… I have always been fond of men. He-he. Maybe its more interesting to ask how all these men think it is to have a female team leader. – If its different than having a male leader – and how it eventually is different. All my life, also when I was a little girl, I spent most time with boys. Most of my friends were boys, now men - and it has continued like that. Earlier, when I was living elsewhere for some years, and had another job, I was also working with men. It was not common with women in that place either. But it was never a problem. Why should it be?

When said that… I don’t think its correct to think gender in this matter. Very well is there few Women in Distributed computing – and I am probably one of few female leaders/administrators, at least in the top 100. The main difference between me and other women here in Boinc is probably that I continue because I think its important to do so.

  A living community needs both men and women, and different voices. Its not other peoples responsibility to make a difference, or trying to make things work. Its “my” responsibility.

But still I'm only one in the team, and we have to work together. And we have those stars to reach..  What the “stars” are?  Don’t you know? 

 Its what ever each and one of us Set as a goal for ourselves. In our real life, including Boinc. And we are here to help each other to do so. It has nothing to do with distributed computing. Its a human urge. And One of my goals has also been to get this team, Sicituradastra. to the top in Boinc. It has been a fantastic journey…. And we are still not there…. Yet!

 So as you may have seen around on the Boinc related pages, Sicituradastra. has a few, but important team shouts. 

 “We don’t Worry – We just Crunch!”

“Dare to Dream! And Live the Dream!”

“We are All a part of the Universe! – And we are All Important!”

Blessings to each and one of you – from AriZonaMoon*  / Ingrid Anita of Sicituradastra.    

A greeting from my home place