I am in the camp of send all the messages you like, they will get you no where.
Even if our signals have reached an hypothetical intelligent species on a planet say within 100 light years and they could understand it, any return signal would take another 100 years.
Unless they have some form of transport that can travel faster than light, we wont be getting visitors any time soon.
I still reckon SETI is a waste of money,but if they want to keep looking, good luck to them.
Cheers
