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Pop Up Ads in Space
modder writes "A Russian inventor has patented
ads in space.
Shouldn't this violate some sort of
International Space Law?" Remember the first time your dad took you out at 1am into the backyard with a telescope? With Your kids the conversation will be something like "Follow the Swoosh to Arcturus, Drive a Spike to the AT&T Logo"
He hasn't patented the idea of adverts in space, as the precis suggests, he's patented a device for displaying them. A fairly important distinction
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The article says it would use solar reflectors mounted on satellites to create the messages. In other words, each reflector could be considered a pixel in the display. I suppose it could work sort of like a giant DLP monitor. Now we just need a giant color wheel that could double as a space station.
Phoenix
Various forms of space art have already explored the concepts and while they haven't used them specifically advertise, they already use reflectivity and the blackness of space outside the atmosphere so that the works can be seen.
I think there is "prior art on this ". I recall some flak with McDonalsd or someone like that looking to shine a golden arches up there somehow several years back.
When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.
What does this have to do with Geeks in Space, the long-dormant Slashdot radio show?
This is miscategorized! And here you got my hopes up that there would be a new episode after all these years...
This is a very different device being claimed here, one that can project light down to earth, not just painting something on a rocket.
Shouldn't this violate some sort of International Space Law?
Whether launching one would violate any law or not, the existence of this patent is a good thing. Why, you ask? Because the patent (1) allows him to prevent other people from launching one and (2) doesn't give him any license to launch one himself.
Patents are a right to exclude others, not a right for you to practice.
"We reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals." --The American President (20.1.2009)
"black and boring?"
Have you ever SEEN a clear night sky, outside of some light-polluted city or suburb?
The awe and beauty of the night sky gets washed out by crappy advertising and you tell us "you'll get used to it."
"The walls of the Grand Canyon were so dull and stone-colored. Now these billboards for s%$tburgers and cheap hotels make it so colorful and exciting!"
"This unspoiled meadow was so boring. It's SO much livlier now that it's littered with colorful flyers from local chiropractors and 10 minute oil change places!"
Screw That. F$#k that noise.
Stefan
Sorry, Philip K. Dick got this one decades ago (Sales Pitch, 1954). I'm always suprised at the lack of sci-fi exploration out of the 'top 5', even by slashdot readers.
So quit your job, pack your bags, and move on out to snow country!