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100th Anniversary of Air Conditioning

Posted by chrisd on from the air-conditioning-makes-computers-happy dept.

RealPerseus writes "The Buffalo News reports today in this article that the 100th annivsary of air conditioning is upon us. Who would have thought that air conditioning was invented in Buffalo?"

5 of 372 comments (clear)

  1. Not much there. by spongman · · Score: 5, Informative

    A few quotes and the standard journalist rambling. It might be appropriate on this day to find out/brush up on how they work.

  2. Air conditioning has destroyed architecture by Bastian · · Score: 5, Insightful

    8' (as opposed to 10') ceilings, poor placement of windows leading to no cross-ventilation, cutting down all the trees around a lot to ease construction but destroying the shade, the death of the porch.

    I love air conditioning, but I want to hate it. . .

  3. Thanks? by Comrade+Brightski · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This is probably a pretty unpopular comment to make to a crowd of geeks in the heat of summer, but I'll say it anyways. While air conditioning is a great scientific and engineering achievement, I'm not sure that it's been a great advantage to society. It's done very little to improve the quality of life for humans and quite a bit to degrade it. I am by no means an avid environmentalist, yet anyone can recognize all the damage caused by freon and the tremendous strain that condensors place on the power grid.

    What amazes me most is how Americans have begun to view air conditioning as a "necessity". Are we insane? The necessities in life are food, oxygen, and heat in climates with extreme cold. Nevertheless, the petroleum supplies are depleted at an increasing rate so that people can be more comfortable as they sit in traffic with the A/C on full blast.

    Yes, it's a nice invention. Hospitals can benefit tremendously from it. But it's nowhere near a necessity and if humans would tolerate a little discomfort, the Earth might be in much better shape.

    --
    "Software is like sex. It's better when it's free." -Linus Torvalds
    1. Re:Thanks? by yatest5 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Instead people insist on wearing more than they need and then draining power from the grid to make up for their own insecurity.

      I'd much prefer to waste the earths resources than see the sweaty hairy hacker next to me's ballbag attempting to escape from his shorts, believe me...

      --
      • Mod parent up! [a] by Anonymous Coward (Score:5) Thurs, June 31, @13:37
  4. Carrier by benh57 · · Score: 5, Funny
    And in an amazing coincidence, it was Mr Carrier's grandson "No" who invented the computer modem. He left his mark on his invention with the familiar signoff..

    NO CARRIER