I wrote about my motivations in a different comment. To be honest, I didn't harbor any particular expectations. Maybe a flicker of hope for a bit of feedback or interaction from someone who'd given it a go, be it results, queries, or issues.

Maybe I should have kept my expectations in check, considering not many labs will have the setup ready to go, let alone have the inclination to dabble with it. But that was a step I didn't consciously take.

There's an uncanny silence from the world when you've thrown so much of yourself into a project, and you're the only one to care about it. It really shouldn't catch you off guard if you're thinking about it rationally, especially if you're not regularly communicating about the project for more people to notice it. But it still doesn't feel great.