Stephen Hawking is Afraid of Aliens.

[Sarevok]

I dont know about that. The point is you need bare minimum our level of computer technology if you are even exploring your own solar system. Why should development of computers stop at that point ? Computers have immediate benefits. A faster microprocessor or more advanced memory yields tangible gains the day after the first commercial unit becomes available. A starship is a pie in the sky project that works over centuries or thousands of years. Why would hypothetical aliens only work on improving starships and completely stop advancing computers ?