Microsoft Launches WorldWide Telescope

esocid writes "WorldWide Telescope, developed by Microsoft's research arm, knits together images from the Hubble Space Telescope, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory Center, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, and others. Windows users (only) can browse through the galaxy on their own or take guided tours of different outer-space destinations developed by astronomers and academics. The application allows viewing from different wavelengths such as X-ray, visible light, and hydrogen-alpha radiation. Business Week has a review and some background on the project, which has been in development for years. Google Sky beat them to the punch but Business Week opines that WWT's interface is superior."

Comments

but

[electrosoccertux]

But can it see why kids love cinnamon toast crunch?

Re:but

[DuctTape]

But can it see why kids love cinnamon toast crunch?

Not on Linux.

DT

Re:but

[abolitiontheory]

or the restaurant at the end of the universe?

Thing they found out....

[Daimanta]

The sky is blue. However, this might have something to do with the OS running this system.

Re:Thing they found out....

[morgan_greywolf]

Right. now BSOD == blue SKY of death!

Re:"Better"

[morgan_greywolf]

"WWT's interface is better"... but only on windows... So for the schools, third-world countries, etc. we've read about who are adopting Linux... Microsoft pretends they don't exist?

There, fixed it for ya.

Re:harrumph

[griffjon]

Meh, I found the Outside "user experience" to be far too buggy, and if you're really fully engaged in just the looking upward part, you run the risk of wandering into an unsupported pile of sh|t -- not to mention dramatically increasing the likelihood of a fatal crash.

Re:I just played with both right now JUST what we

[maxume]

You sure burned those guys.

Blue Sky Error

[Anonymous Coward]

Uh-oh. Does this mean we can expect to see the following error message?

Your universe has stopped working and now must shut down. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Re:Web 2.0?

[OshMan]

In web applications design, whether or not actually run in a browser, it is critical to be fully buzz word compliant. This single concept is the cornerstone of any solid marchitecture, and the key to successful venture capitalist enticement.

Re:Good to see

[avandesande]

Ms could cure AIDS and release the patent to the public domain and people like you would still bitch about it.

Re:Web 2.0?

[Hatta]

Welcome to the use of buzzwords.

Fixed that for you. OP's mistake was assuming that "Web 2.0" had any meaning at all.

Re:Web 2.0?

[Anonymous Coward]

This ... thing doesn't give me a picture at all! On my Mac, of course. Duhhh, you use an Apple product; I would have thought that by now, you'd be used to software-that-everyone-else-uses being "useless" to you.

That is, of course, excepting when you run Windows on your MAC, in which case the 15% premium you paid for your PC simply amounts to Steve Jobs' "You're Stupid" tax...

-AC

Re:Not nearly that good...

[Z34107]

Microsoft's evangelism team has been advising employees and partners to participate more in tech discussion sites. They're particularly encouraged to post positive comments about MS products. That's why you see a million "[MS product] works fine for me" posts whenever Microsoft breaks something.

Well, Windows 3.11 worked fine for my dad until last year. (He'd argue that it would still work fine if we let him plug the box back in ^.^)

Does this mean Microsoft will write him a check? And do I get a cut for astroturfing here?