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UIUC Unveils the Worlds Most Advanced Building

Eagle5596 writes "The University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, one of the top Computer Science programs in the world has just officially opened their new $80 million Siebel Center. The department head describes the building as a single computing entity, meant to be programmed and to interact with those in the building via RFID tags in their ID cards. This is probably one of the biggest and most expensive projects in ubiquitous computing ever launched, touching on all the important issues in this field, from privacy to the ultimate question about the usefulness of such a system. Several papers are covering this including the Chicago Sun Times, and the Chicago Business"

26 of 319 comments (clear)

  1. Damnit HAL, LET ME IN!!! by FrYGuY101 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm sorry Dave, I can't let you in. Your GPA is too low this semester.

    --
    "If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living."

    - Seneca
  2. In interaction means... by el-spectre · · Score: 2, Funny

    keeping the soda machines near me full of Dew, it's a good thing.

    --
    "Faith: Belief without evidence in what is told by one who speaks without knowledge, of things without parallel." - A.B.
    1. Re:In interaction means... by mattbelcher · · Score: 2, Funny

      Unfortunately, the campus is owned by Coke, so we have to hit up one of the street vendors for the nectar.

      --

      Shockwave Flash movies are the greatest thing to happen to non-sequitur humor since Japan.

  3. Siebel Center? by sulli · · Score: 3, Funny

    Does that mean the building is wildly overpriced and requires expensive consultants in suits to do anything right?

    --

    sulli
    RTFJ.
    1. Re:Siebel Center? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      Well, yes. With all of that technology inside, they couldn't spend much on contruction or architecture, and frankly, it's a bit small. I mean, it looks great on the inside, but here's an outside view of the front entrance: click here.

  4. Building is a single computing entity... by dickiedoodles · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...Imagine a beowulf cluster of those

    Sorry

    --
    In Soviet Russia Slashdot cliches use you
  5. Microsoft "Buildy" by AtariAmarok · · Score: 5, Funny
    I guess they had to go and install "Microsoft Office... that is, REAL Office".

    Now, when you go down the hall, the "Buildy" mascot asks things like. "You appear to be walking to the bathroom. Would you like some help?"

    --
    Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
    1. Re:Microsoft "Buildy" by mt+v2.7 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Oh GOD.. Imagaine Bonzai Buddy.. all the purple, and fur, and.. little gnomes running through the building carrying out your credit card bills..

  6. Some of us already have advanced buildings by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Clap on. Clap off. What else is there?

  7. Regression by The_Mystic_For_Real · · Score: 5, Funny

    This proves the point that all things human go in cycles. First computers were the size of buildings, then they shrunk down to fit in the palm, now they are becoming the size of buildings again.

    --

    _____

    Thank you.

  8. The Real Privacy Question by Eagle5596 · · Score: 4, Funny

    The real issue with privacy of course is turning off the location function when you don't want something embarressing happening. I present the following situation as evidence:

    Johnny wanted to find Professor X to ask a question about his research paper, approaching the wall he intoned, "Computer, please locate Professor X."

    In a booming voice the wall responded, "Professor X is currently in Stall 5 of the Bathroom on the second floor, logging in."

    1. Re:The Real Privacy Question by zuhl · · Score: 2, Funny


      And the the booming voice will continue, "And Professor X has used more than his (her) allotment of toilet paper this week. Initiating emergency protocols."

      And then they guys with shotguns come bursting in on poor Professor X.

  9. Blue hair by antic · · Score: 2, Funny

    Where is a link to pictures? If there aren't pictures of gadgets, no one cares.

    Nice to know that the welcoming avatar has blue hair. Because that's the future, apparently.

    I bet they'd fire the receptionist of he/she dyed their hair blue, or they'd refuse to hire the same, but as soon as you need to represent the future, it has blue hair.

    Just like Strong Bad has a Japanese cartoon character: http://homestarrunner.com/sbemail57.html

    --
    'Thats they exact same thing a banana wrench monkey.'
  10. Irony, indeed by geekychic · · Score: 2, Funny

    I can't believe on the eve of the night when my school's unveiling the most technologically advanced building in the world, the campus mail is down >=( Prioritize, much?

  11. in a side note... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    2 hours later the building was declared obsolete by new technologies...

  12. As long as it isn't running Windows by potuncle · · Score: 2, Funny

    When it crashes does it become the BBOD (Blue Building of Death)?

    1. Re:As long as it isn't running Windows by Mad+Bad+Rabbit · · Score: 4, Funny

      Of course, if it's running UNIX then it would
      crash with "Segmentation fault: floor dumped".

      --
      >;k
  13. Finally, a chance to get back... by sklib · · Score: 4, Funny

    Now all you need to get back at a professor you don't like is hack into the building's computer, and turn off the air conditioning in whatever room he goes into.

    Sweet revenge!

    --
    -S
  14. The perfect excuse by Uninen · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...when caught from a bar near by:
    "Nooo. Can't go to school, they're running critical updates on our building today!"

  15. Re:"Modern" buildings tend to not age well by kfg · · Score: 4, Funny

    Come to Kenya, we've got lions.

    And also Masai. The lions don't impress me as being terribly crazy about that arrangement. There's just no pleasing some people.

    Coincidentally I happen to be dressed as a Masai right now, right down to the traditional trapazoidal sandals (but when I track down a good bad tire I'll do up a pair of Ho Chi Maas). Very simple, but elegant mode of dress. One might well describe it as "Classic, but slightly dated." In fact, it's basically Classical Greek. I don't know why most northern writers refer to it as "Roman." Classical Greek dress doesn't look anything like Roman and is the very antithesis of the toga, which now just looks old. Old and stupid.

    I'm not at all sure how a Masai would react to a white American dressed like a Masai, but it seems that here in upstate NY people either look at you funny or pretend they're not looking at all. In NYC, of course, nobody looks at anything anymore.

    I'll match my walking ability with any man, anywhere, including Masai, but admit I can't jump for shit.

    KFG

  16. No spell-checker if that $80 mill? by Missionary+Man · · Score: 3, Funny

    Nice building.

    Shame they didn't get a spell-checker with it. I believe the reference to "Accomodations" on the main page of their website should read "Accommodations".

    Ho hum. Am I being too picky?

  17. Re:This will be fun to watch... by timeOday · · Score: 4, Funny

    Even big safes full of bonds and stuff do that, as I learned watching "Die Hard."

  18. Re:+2 Informative???? by The+Cydonian · · Score: 3, Funny

    That's when you want to mod the moderators, +1, Irony. :-)

  19. Re:UIUC by Kyn · · Score: 2, Funny

    HAL 9000 is from hereabouts. Perhaps you've heard of him. Granted, he did kill a few people, but no one is perfect...

  20. Espresso bar! by jcuervo · · Score: 2, Funny

    They failed to mention whether caffeine was gratis or not.

    If it's free, I'm going to college.

    --
    Assume I was drunk when I posted this.
  21. Hey, I used to live there! by bob_shoggoth · · Score: 2, Funny

    So now I know why they bought and knocked down my old apartment building!