I thought you were referring to SETI, actually
Somehow, I thought you were referring to a "risk" of spending $500 million on SETI, and saying that was a mistake. Apparently, you were saying that if someone ever suggested spending $500 million on SETI, not that there's ever been a serious suggestion to do so, it would be a mistake. Or maybe that installing SETI screensavers somehow creates a risk of spending $500 million on SETI, and that would be a mistake.
In case there were any other readers as stupid as me and thought you meant $500 million was at imminent risk of being wasted on SETI, that point has been clarified. Thanks.