Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

MIT's Bathroom Server

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the leave-the-seat-down dept.

An Anonymous Coward writes: "Some of the undergrads wired Random Hall's (an undergraduate dorm) bathroom system up to the net so that you can visit http://bathroom.mit.edu and see which stalls on which floors are vacant, and if they're in use, how long whoever's been in there. It's a pretty good idea-- you can scout your stall from your dorm room, and watch it to make sure nobody's taken a s$#% there recently."

5 of 186 comments (clear)

  1. Vanderbilt University setup a site like this by farnsaw · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Vanderbilt University put up a bathroom monitor page that turned out to be a page to monitor the number of people that would investigate such a page back in the mid '90s.

    --
    "Computer Scientists can count to 1024 on their fingers" (non-mutant, non-mutilatated, human computer scientists)
  2. Check the Random Hall Laundry Server by cerulean · · Score: 5, Interesting
    if bathroom.mit.edu is slashdotted, you can look at Random Hall's laundry server instead.

    good ol' Random. It's too bad there's no webpage yet about Mjolnir, the homemade big-ass speaker built from a linear induction motor from a dishwasher-sized hard drive, a cone of sheet metal, and a cabinet of medium-density fiberboard.

    what a bunch of 31337 H4X0R5

    --
    -------------------- the list is long. dirac angestung gesept
  3. Re:These kids are too smart... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Sheesh. I'm glad I never had to live in a dorm. I absolutely despise using a public restroom to take a crap! In fact, I've *never* done it and don't have any plans to. Don't these dorms have private bathrooms in their rooms? What the hell are we paying so much money for tuition and room and board if the best and brightest of our kids have to use a damned public toilet to take a dump? No siree Bob. I'll wait until I get home or to my hotel. Only in the past 2 years (I'm 25) have I stated using public urinals. I've found it harder and harder to hold. Who knows, maybe some day when I'm 40 I'll have to take a crap as frequently as I have to urinate and I'll learn to use those disgusting public toilets. Until then I'll abstain. (By the way, this is a 100% serious message, I don't crap in public toilets!)

  4. Privacy? by Zachary+Kessin · · Score: 3, Interesting

    You know with all the privacy advocates around here you would think someone would think this is an invation. I mean how long you are using the can for is a rather private thing. OK yes your dorm mates may know from time to time as they wait for you. But does the entire world need to know when and for how long you are using the bathroom.

    --
    Erlang Developer and podcaster
  5. The Wired House by pausz · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Check out Icepick.com. They wired their entire house onto the net, including their:

    1. Doorbell usage
    2. Frontdoor camera
    3. Trashbin scanner
    4. Cat tracker
    5. Microwave usage
    6. Fridge openings and temperature
    7. Phone usage
    8. and yes: Toilet usage


    They measure how often the toilet gets flushed, and for how long (I guess you can work out statistics on "difficult flushing jobs" :-). They also measure the temperature in the place; around 14.5 C (58.1 F). Not really a place you want to hang out for too long...