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Inside the Massive 2014 Winter Olympics WiFi Network

Posted by samzenpus on from the built-to-last dept.

alphadogg writes "Engineers are putting the final touches on a network capable of handling up to 54Tbps of traffic when the Winter Olympics opens on Feb. 7 in the Russian city of Sochi. The two locations where the Olympics will take place — the Olympic village in Sochi and a tight cluster of Alpine venues in the nearby Krasnaya Polyana Mountains — are completely new construction, so this project represents a greenfield environment for Avaya, the company heading up the project. In addition to investing in a telecom infrastructure, Russia is spending billions of dollars to upgrade Sochi's electric power grid, its transportation system and even its sewage treatment facilities."

60 of 107 comments (clear)

  1. Complete article on one ad-free page by xmas2003 · · Score: 4, Informative
    Here's the 3 page article on one ad-free page.

    They are claiming it will handle 54 Tbps of network traffic ... up from the Vancouver games four years ago that was only 4 Tbps. One interesting tidbit is the ratio of wired to wireless traffic was 4-to-1 back then ... they expect that ratio to be reversed this time ... with 2,000 802.11n access points!

    That a bit more bandwidth than this Christmas website has ... HO-HO-HO! ;-)

    --
    Hulk SMASH Celiac Disease
    1. Re:Complete article on one ad-free page by fisted · · Score: 1

      +1 clever

      --
      CLI paste? paste.pr0.tips!
  2. The downside is... by ackthpt · · Score: 3, Funny

    It will be totally pwned by Russian black-hat hackers.

    They will have a feeding frenzy of personal details, photos and of course the credit card numbers of anyone who makes a purchase there.

    In Soviet Russia credit comes to YOU!

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
    1. Re:The downside is... by WillAffleckUW · · Score: 1

      I expect Edward Snowden will do some consulting work and make it easy for us to get the data from the IOC officials and their sponsors (bribers).

      --
      -- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
    2. Re:The downside is... by asmkm22 · · Score: 1

      That should be modded insightful, not funny...

    3. Re:The downside is... by 3.5+stripes · · Score: 1

      Yeah, like telling a child "you're not abnormal" when he's around 13 or so, and has realized he isn't attracted to women. It's a church driven, lie based strawman used to hide the endemic corruption and nepotism that keeps russia perennially out of first world status, despite having enormous human and natural resources.

      It's probably due to Putin being gay.. as the majority of vehemently antigay people tend to be badly repressed.

      --


      He tried to kill me with a forklift!
  3. No public access? by timeOday · · Score: 5, Interesting
    There doesn't seem to any provision for the fans. I glean this from two statements:

    The Sochi network will serve 30,000 athletes, administrators and staff, media, IOC officials, and volunteers with data, voice, video, and full Internet access through the Games sites.

    And secondly:

    In Sochi, Avayaâ(TM)s Wi-Fi network will be split into five virtual SSID-based networks. There will be one network for the athletes, two for media (one free, one paid), one for Olympics staff, and one for dignitaries.

    So it sounds like this network will be just to support the games themselves, not for the general public.

    1. Re:No public access? by stox · · Score: 2

      The 1980 Winter Olympics were in Lake Placid, New York.

      --
      "To those who are overly cautious, everything is impossible. "
    2. Re:No public access? by Thor+Ablestar · · Score: 1

      I begin believing that our Russian authorities actively promote anti-gay feelings in order to provoke a boycott of this Raspiliada. Reasoning is simple: The less people visit it, the simpler will be to cover all the raspil-otkat (cut and kickback).

    3. Re:No public access? by stox · · Score: 1

      They laid down a lot of fiber for Lake Placid. I haven't been back to Lake Placid since, I wonder if they have unusually good connectivity as a result of that investment?

      --
      "To those who are overly cautious, everything is impossible. "
  4. Re:Fuck the bigots! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Yeah, this is as sickening as having a nerdgasm over the WiFI setup of a KKK conference.

  5. 54Tbps? by tech.kyle · · Score: 2

    Misleading article is misleading. The entire network itself handles 54Tbps. The WiFi network, to quote TFA, "will be distributed using about 2,000 802.11n access points across the Olympics Game sites; including inside the stands for the first time."

    Not even 802.11ac.

    --
    If we colonize Mars, it won't be the World Wide Web anymore. UWW?
    1. Re:54Tbps? by Aqualung812 · · Score: 2

      I noticed that, too. Assuming both 5Ghz and 2.4 Ghz radios at 450mbit each, you have 900 mbit per AP, X 2000, so 1.8 Tbit.

      That, however, won't be the bottleneck. TFA says all of this has to go through redundant 10Gbit Internet connections. Maybe that means 20Gbit, and maybe a lot of the content will be local.

      My bet, though, is that the bottleneck will be the Internet pipe if any slowness is detected. Depending on how many people live-stream video or have their devices set to auto-upload pictures and video to box/skydrive/gdrive/etc, I think they'll fill it.

      --
      Grammer Nazis - I mod you "troll" unless you actually add something on-topic. Yes, I know I have mispellings in my sig.
    2. Re:54Tbps? by Thor+Ablestar · · Score: 1

      I noticed that, too. Assuming both 5Ghz and 2.4 Ghz radios at 450mbit each, you have 900 mbit per AP, X 2000, so 1.8 Tbit.

      Have you assumed that radio waves are not TRANSVERSAL? Your 450 mbit are marketing and PR feces bovi. The nominal speed of 802.11n in 20 MHz band is 75 mbit/s. It's doubled when you use 40 MHz band and doubled once more when you use MIMO 2x2. But there are only 2 orthogonal polarizations, say, vertical and horizontal, so MIMO 3x3 will not give you anything valuable, except, may be, ability to use vertical polarization omni and 2 separate horizontals for all sides.

      Then, remember that a normal cellular GSM structure uses 7 cells and 7 frequencies, and WiFi has only 4 distinct 2.4 GHz channels. But laws of physics are the same. You cannot use 5 GHz everywhere since universal clients are rare. So you cannot use 40 MHz and you get 150 mbit/s only. And the last nail to the coffin: Your US equipment brought here is legally prohibited by US authorities to use channels 12 and 13, and this prohibition is burnt to EEPROM, so forget about upper 40 MHz band at all.

    3. Re:54Tbps? by Aqualung812 · · Score: 1

      So, we agree that their 54Tbps number is total bullshit. :)

      I was giving the marketing BS just to be generous. Of course, you will never really see 900mbit on every AP, or even a single AP, for all the reasons you mention and because they will never have a perfect 50/50 split of clients that are all evenly spread out among all of the access points.

      I'm on your side. They claim 54Tbps, I say that 1.8Tbps is the *theoretical* max, and the practical Internet limit is 20Gbps, and now your talking about the real-world estimates, which will drop that 1.8T number to something much lower.

      In any case, 54Tbps = bullshit.

      --
      Grammer Nazis - I mod you "troll" unless you actually add something on-topic. Yes, I know I have mispellings in my sig.
  6. I saw that too, wonder if it will all be cellular by attemptedgoalie · · Score: 1

    Or maybe they have a separate network provider (perhaps a local company) for the spectators.

    --
    My mom says I'm cool.
  7. The bigotry of the political correctness crowd. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    As a lesbian (yes, some of us do browse Slashdot), I find the attitudes of the political correctness crowd far more distasteful than the attitudes of the Russians in this matter.

    It's very hypocritical for the politically correct crowd to clamor on about how bad discrimination is, but in doing so they end up discriminating against those who wish to hold viewpoints that may be considered controversial. The political correctness crowd's attempt to take a stance against discrimination is inherently discriminatory in and of itself.

    Collectively, we can't move forward if we grant a monopoly on "legitimate" discrimination to one particular group of people (the political correctness crowed, for example).

    While the Russians may severely dislike homosexuality, to the point of criminalizing it, at least they're honest about it. They don't pretend to be against discrimination, while simultaneously engaging in it, like the political correctness crowed constantly does.

    I find honest dislike or disapproval to be much less onerous and disgusting than the veiled, denied-but-omnipresent hatred that the political correctness crowd engages in.

    1. Re:The bigotry of the political correctness crowd. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      *yawn* Lame crypto-bigot bullshit is lame. Being against people being locked up in prison for being gay is not "political correctness". I lol'd at the "As a lesbian" line as if anyone believes that. That's as funny as the "I have black friends" preface to a racist rant.

    2. Re:The bigotry of the political correctness crowd. by Lunix+Nutcase · · Score: 1, Flamebait

      Collectively, we can't move forward if we grant a monopoly on "legitimate" discrimination to one particular group of people (the political correctness crowed, for example).

      You gave yourself away too easily. This just some rambling bigotry from some right-wing nutter. Being against institutionalized bigotry has nothing to do with this nonsense. No one believes this outside possibly a few fringe nutters and caricatures created by the very bigots themselves. Nothing is more funny than listening to them trying to paint themselves as the victims of "PC".

    3. Re:The bigotry of the political correctness crowd. by Iskender · · Score: 1

      While the Russians may severely dislike homosexuality, to the point of criminalizing it, at least they're honest about it. They don't pretend to be against discrimination, while simultaneously engaging in it, like the political correctness crowed constantly does.

      Two wrongs still don't make a right.

      Also, there is no uniform "political correctness crowd", and you didn't provide a single example of its supposed discriminatory actions.

    4. Re:The bigotry of the political correctness crowd. by xenobyte · · Score: 1

      As a lesbian (yes, some of us do browse Slashdot), I find the attitudes of the political correctness crowd far more distasteful than the attitudes of the Russians in this matter.

      It's very hypocritical for the politically correct crowd to clamor on about how bad discrimination is, but in doing so they end up discriminating against those who wish to hold viewpoints that may be considered controversial. The political correctness crowd's attempt to take a stance against discrimination is inherently discriminatory in and of itself.

      ...

      While the Russians may severely dislike homosexuality, to the point of criminalizing it, at least they're honest about it. They don't pretend to be against discrimination, while simultaneously engaging in it, like the political correctness crowed constantly does.

      I find honest dislike or disapproval to be much less onerous and disgusting than the veiled, denied-but-omnipresent hatred that the political correctness crowd engages in.

      Honesty about it does not make the stance even the slightest more acceptable. What makes it worse is that religion (which is abuse in itself) is abused to justify the stance. It simply makes it triple-wrong.

      PS: Welcome to /. !!! - Everybody is welcome here, from boring nerds and geeks to retarded religious bigots too stupid to keep their mouth shut. Expect to have your opinions questioned and challenged.

      --
      "For every complex problem, there is a solution that is simple, neat, and wrong." -- H.L. Mencken (1880-1956) --
    5. Re:The bigotry of the political correctness crowd. by funkylovemonkey · · Score: 1

      Your logic eats itself. But thanks for trying. I love the bigots screaming "You have to be tolerant of my bigotry!" Fortunately for you, we are. We allow you to express your opinion (which the Russian law does not). But don't for a second think that grants you immunity from criticism. Don't for a moment think you are above being called on your twisted logic. It's because bullies depend on being the loudest and angriest to get people to cower, and all this "you have to be tolerant of my intolerance!" is just one step removed from a bully crying about the unfairness of someone finally standing up to them. Because ultimately your position is untenable. So you construct straw men like the conspiracy of "PC Police" that are attacking you. It's easier than actually having to state your position, because ultimately your position is so sad and terrible it does not hold up in the light. Instead it's easier to play the victim.

    6. Re:The bigotry of the political correctness crowd. by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      You would have more credibility if you were not an anonymous coward. I suspect a subtle troll. Homosexuals I have spoken to generally support things like the effort to make homophobia as unacceptable as racism or getting people to stop using "gay" tomean "bad".

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    7. Re:The bigotry of the political correctness crowd. by Inflammatory+Fallacy · · Score: 1

      Which, I am sure, makes you the leading expert on gay people in this thread. I can't speak for the honesty of this particular anonymous poster, but I, for one, don't care. The argument that she presented was that gays should refrain from discrimination (even rightful discrimination) because it undermines the gay rights movement as a whole. I can't disagree with that one bit. After all, was Martin Luther King Junior's message not more powerful than Malcolm X's? The ideal way to combat bigotry is not to become as jaded and militant as the people you're fighting against, that's counter-productive. You elevate yourself above the level of your moral enemy. After all, the goal of anyone in the gay rights movement is not to prove that they are right, it is to convince others to support their cause. To lash out at those who lashed out at your cause is not the best way to do that.

  8. Re:Fuck the bigots! by kilodelta · · Score: 1

    Yeah I know. And Avaya - really? I thought they got snapped up by Alcatel!

    Granted I've administered wired Avaya gear in the past, mostly G3iV3, G3iV6 and G3iV11 voice pbxs.

  9. Re:Spying by hawguy · · Score: 1

    Lots, and lots, of spying. Russia is masturbating over the opportunity to offer free WiFi.

    Would it be any more difficult to spy with hardwired connections?

  10. Re:Fuck the bigots! by Thor+Ablestar · · Score: 1

    As Russian I must say: Yes. here is lot of antiquated attitude towards gay people. But you should understand:

    Here are no laws against gay relations of adult people with consent. And it's good since their relations are their and only their affairs.

    There are laws against popularization of gay relations with minors ONLY. And I believe it's good because Russian Gay-Pride parades participants are not gay at all, and their task is to undermine the traditional morale, and they are on payroll of somebody who pays for other means of undermining it, be it stupid TV programming, stupid schoolbooks, stupid university courses, stupid programming languages, and the top declaration of stupidity by Education Minister Fursenko: "Communists were not right when they tried to produce a Creative Man. We should grow up a qualified CONSUMER of others' creativity". Once more, I stress that it's my personal belief, and I must add that it's a popular belief here.

    Also, I believe that anti-Gay laws are BAD because they are nothing more than a cheap PR of Duma members that are members of puppet parties and fraudulently elected nonrepresentatives of Russian people in puppet Parliament controlled by You Know Whom.

  11. Re:Fuck the bigots! by epyT-R · · Score: 1

    Why should anyone have to like someone? Maybe gay people should quit demanding entitlements on others' opinions. Gay athletes, their sponsors, as well as anyone in the would-be audience are free to not attend the games because of the russian government's official position on gays. It boils down to which the athlete thinks is more important: his athletic career or his support of identity politics. That said, the russian government has claimed that the athletes will not be hassled. This is probably a reasonable bet since the ONC is very pro left/PC, and the russians want the economic benefits that come with hosting.

    Frankly, I wish the ONC stayed as apolitical as possible and focused on having the best athletes compete, regardless of race, gender, sexual behavior or any other irrelevant attribute.. of course, they don't, and that's why the games are compromised... in the name of 'equality' of course.

  12. Hyperbole by INowRegretThesePosts · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    people being locked up in prison for being gay

    Hyperbole much?

    1. Re:Hyperbole by INowRegretThesePosts · · Score: 2

      Yeah, it's as hyperbolic as pointing out that Castro imprisoned people for saying stuff he didn't like.

      Fidel Castro was not content with imprisioning, he shot them. And saying that is not hyperbole, because it actually describes objectively what Fidel Castro did, without exageration.

      Sorry, but the excuse that it's "not because they're gay but because they're speading gay propaganda" line is simply bullshit.

      The law (which I do not necessarily support) forbids people from spreading a specific kind of propaganda to minors. You are implying that people get arrested for being attracted to the same sex (that is, beging gay). That is undeniably hyperbole.

      If you can't understand words based on their definition, lets try an analogy.
      The government of Elbonia forbids spreading alcochol propaganda to minors. Then someone says "Oh my God, that is fascism, they are imprisioning people who like beer!".

      Would not that be hyperbole?

    2. Re:Hyperbole by funkylovemonkey · · Score: 3, Insightful

      You don't "necessarily support" this law? So you're not willing to defend it, but you're upset people are coming out against it? The problem is that they define "propaganda" as broadly as possible, to the point where even talking about homosexuality in a non-negative light is criminalized. Gatherings of gay groups is also criminalized (and not just parades, this includes political groups), whether a minor is present or not. In fact the law is worded in such a way that it doesn't really matter if a minor is present, although that's the reason d'etre proponents have claimed. It has nothing to do with minors and is simply a cheap way to inflame prejudice and cover their ass. "We're just doing it to protect the children!" It's nothing more than bigotry and homophobia, where lawmakers are increasingly using it as a scape-goat to distract the Russian people from the widespread corruption that sickens the country at every level. And saying "At least they aren't shooting people!" isn't the greatest defense. This is only the beginning of a slew of laws already proposed by Russian lawmakers which have gone so far as to say that gay people should undergo forced medical treatment to undo their homosexuality or even be exiled. And under the law as it stands, while Russian citizens are only required to pay a fine, foreigners can be imprisoned two weeks for speaking out (in addition to be fined and then removed from the country).

    3. Re:Hyperbole by CAPSLOCK2000 · · Score: 1

      Sorry, but the excuse that it's "not because they're gay but because they're speading gay propaganda" line is simply bullshit.

      The law (which I do not necessarily support) forbids people from spreading a specific kind of propaganda to minors.

      It's not a specific kind of propaganda. Any expression of a 'non-traditional sexuality", like holding hands in public, is considered "propaganda to minors".
      Any kind of parade or demonstration has been outlawed.

    4. Re:Hyperbole by Inflammatory+Fallacy · · Score: 1

      Perhaps it's not the people's opinions on the law, but instead their lying and misleading that Jorge here dislikes?

    5. Re:Hyperbole by greenfruitsalad · · Score: 1

      While I'm in no way defending the russian approach, surely I cannot be the only one who, after reading this, thinks of all the stupid omnipresent parades, billboards, buses with posters, tv shots, etc... that rub gay behaviour in people's faces in UK. We need a "we don't care (but you are getting annoying), get used to it!" campaign.

      Obligatory Simpsons s13e06, Gay pride parade scene:

      Gay Men: We're here, we're queer, get used to it!
      Lisa: You do this every year. We are used to it!
      Gay Man: Spoilsport!!

      I've got karma to waste, so go ahead.

    6. Re:Hyperbole by greenfruitsalad · · Score: 1

      what kind of mentality is this? you hate assholes like me? do you know me or anything about me?

      do you objectively not see anything wrong with this approach to people? i.e.: you're not for us, therefore you're against us and i hate your guts.

      i have not, in my entire life, seen a christmas parade (probably an american thing) but if there ever was one, i'm sure it was just as inclusive a commercial event as any coca cola advert. on the other hand I have personally seen no fewer than 3 major gay protests/parades/events this year.

  13. In Soviet Russia, Youtube watches YOU! by Thor+Ablestar · · Score: 1

    You are right, it will be controlled by Russian government. But the gay propaganda is pretext only. The Government is to figure out who is either Wahhabi or Neo-Nazi. The modern trend is that Wahhabis will sit until end of Olympics, and Neo-Nazi (i.e. everybody who remembers that Russians are the people too) will be incarcerated up to 10 years. http://politzeki.tumblr.com/post/25945827552/i-will-destroy-you-or-what-happens-if-one-does-not

  14. Re:Fuck the bigots! by Thor+Ablestar · · Score: 1

    It boils down to which the athlete thinks is more important: his athletic career or his support of identity politics.

    Yes, you are right, it's just a politics. And gays are not SUBJECT, but INSTRUMENT of such politics. The question "Who's the SUBJECT?" remains open.

    and the russians want the economic benefits that come with hosting.

    Forget it. It's already named "Raspiliada", of "Raspil i otkat" meaning "Cut and kickback". It's an economical catastrophe for every Russian except receivers of cuts and kickbacks. Nomina sunt odiosa.

  15. Re:Fuck the bigots! by Desler · · Score: 1

    Why should anyone have to like someone? Maybe gay people should quit demanding entitlements on others' opinions.

    Yeah, how dare they ask not to be thrown in jail simply because they're gay. What next? They think they're actually human beings?

  16. Re:hot! by Thor+Ablestar · · Score: 1

    According to Russian sources, now the stores of 2012-2013 years winter snow are being unpacked and laid down for Olympics.

    It's funny since there are lots of Russian proverbs about last year's snow.

  17. Re:Fuck the bigots! by Desler · · Score: 1

    There are laws against popularization of gay relations with minors ONLY.

    Ignoring the fact that the overwhelming majority amount of child abusers are not gay?

  18. Re:Seems very gay. by Iskender · · Score: 1

    Send the network to prison for spreading the gay.

    I'm sure a firewall could be arranged.

    Yeah, but then they'll have to deal with the iconic Firewall Riot!

  19. Re:Fuck the bigots! by epyT-R · · Score: 1

    If that's what's happening, then yes, it's wrong.

  20. Re:Fuck the bigots! by epyT-R · · Score: 1

    Yup.. gays are being used to push a pro centralist governmental policy, and they're not the only group abused in this way.
    --
    Basically that's what happens anywhere the games are held.. local businesses get trampled for the sake of the big sponsors with the 'official olympic' products.

  21. Re:Fuck the bigots! by dk20 · · Score: 1

    I think they have a lot of bigger issues to address first. Rigged bidding is probably as a big one. How many times have we seen stories about IOC officials taking bribes/kickbacks and actually making demands?

  22. Re:Fuck the bigots! by genka · · Score: 1

    A lot of that anti gay nonsense in Russia is to shift public focus from more important issues. Gays are not thrown in jail for being gay. In fact, there are many openly gay entertainers on Russian national TV.

  23. Re: Fuck the bigots! by multisync · · Score: 1

    yes, all those men having sex with boys certainly aren't gay at all!

    Correct. People who are sexually attracted to children are pedos, not gay.

    --
    I don't care why you're posting AC
  24. CATV HFC network works better for broadcast by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

    CATV HFC network works better for broadcast and if they have it as clear QAM then you don't need set top boxes with most HD tv's.

  25. Apparently their staff are expendable by aaronmd · · Score: 1

    “We have built the TOCs in separate locations to ensure redundancy in the case of a natural disaster or man-made incident,” says Frohwerk. “Should the Adler TOC go down, we would simply send the next shift to the Sochi TOC and carry on.”

    So if a TOC is blown up, they'll just send the next shift to the other TOC and continue? Ummmm....

  26. Remove the story by voinageo · · Score: 2

    This story should be removed from slashdot. It is just some made up news to attract attention to the worst Olympic Winter Games ever. As they say in marketing "any news is good news". Boycott the Mafia Olympics, they are just the propaganda games of a mafia state, build with the dirty money of oligarchs, to praise a dictator. Not to much different than the Nazi Olympics from 1936 when Hitler was parading his fascist state. Russian government not only discriminates against gays but also against ethnic minorities, majority of the Sochi staff are Russians from Moscow or Sankt-Peterburg and non Russian local people from Sochi.

    1. Re:Remove the story by Luckyo · · Score: 1

      It's fun to watch all the russophobes crawl out of their holes for this.

    2. Re:Remove the story by Thor+Ablestar · · Score: 1

      Russian government not only discriminates against gays but also against ethnic minorities, majority of the Sochi staff are Russians from Moscow or Sankt-Peterburg and non Russian local people from Sochi.

      Russian government discriminates against ethnical MAJORITY - Russians. I don't care about Olympic staff. I care about lots of other places where inhabitants of Russian Caucasus, for instance, get 2 years of home arrest for murder while Russians get 10 years of Special Regime. I care about Stavropol territory where there is a second Kosovo, with Chechens (Remember Tsarnaev?) occupy traditionally Russian territories. I care about ethnical Chechen criminal organizations openly bearing arms in Moscow where Russians cannot do it. There are lots of national organizations, including Chechen and Tajik ones. But Russian organizations are ruthlessly exterminated. Do you want some more info?

  27. Re: Fuck the bigots! by Luckyo · · Score: 1

    They are both actually. Both are directions of sexual interest. They are not exclusive. One can be attracted to certain sex and age group. For example a lot of older men are attracted to younger women, usually in their early twenties.

  28. Re:Spying by Luckyo · · Score: 1

    Citation needed.

  29. Re: Fuck the bigots! by Luckyo · · Score: 1

    Men in their fourties, fifties and sixties on the other hand are.

  30. What's the aggregate connectivity out of Russia? by swb · · Score: 1

    While I'd assume some of the connectivity is contained within the site and some within Russia itself, these are international games and you'd presume a large chunk of the traffic is destined for destinations outside of Russia.

  31. Seriously? by superwiz · · Score: 1

    Are we gonna have to suffer every commentator struggling to mispronounce Krasnaya Polyana instead of using the most obvious straight-forward translation "red valley"?

    --
    Any guest worker system is indistinguishable from indentured servitude.
  32. alpine or Alpine? by gravis777 · · Score: 1

    tight cluster of Alpine venues in the nearby Krasnaya Polyana Mountains

    I am sure this is a typo, but I thought it funny. According to dictionary.com, if the word Alpine has a capitol A, it means either 1)of, pertaining to, on, or part of the Alps or 2) of or pertaining to downhill skiing or a competitive downhill skiing event.

    Down further in the page:
    1. of or relating to the Alps or their inhabitants
    2. geology
              a. of or relating to an episode of mountain building in the Tertiary period during which the Alps were formed

    As the article is not referring to The Alps, but rather to the Krasnaya Polyana Mountains, they should be using the word "alpine" with a lowercase A.

    Yes, I am being a grammar Nazi, but found it funny.

  33. Reading comprehension by INowRegretThesePosts · · Score: 1

    You don't "necessarily support" this law?

    Correct, because I do not have the details, and am too busy to spend time
    studying a Russian law which I have no way to change.

    you're upset people are coming out against it?

    Wrong. I am upset that people are using outrageous logical fallacies for
    political reasons. Politics is already dominated by logical fallacies, it is
    a huge problem. We don't need more of it.

    And saying "At least they aren't shooting people!" isn't the greatest
    defense.

    Except that I didn't say that. Read my post and read its parent. I was
    exemplifying what hyperbole is and what it isn't.

  34. Reliable sources by INowRegretThesePosts · · Score: 1

    The problem is that they define "propaganda" as broadly as possible, to the point where even talking about homosexuality in a non-negative light is criminalized. Gatherings of gay groups is also criminalized (and not just parades, this includes political groups), whether a minor is present or not. In fact the law is worded in such a way that it doesn't really matter if a minor is present

    Do you have reliable, impartial, non-activist sources on your claims?

  35. Shenanigans by Shadows · · Score: 1

    There are some questions TFA doesn't answer.

    • * Where does the 54tbps number come from? I'm skeptical this is anything other than internal. It might be their switching setup's theoretical max, but even if every one of the 120,000 wireless clients pushed the theoretical 300mbps of 802.11n, that's still only about 35tbps. Overkill, okay, but without knowing what the 54tbps stat refers to, it doesn't really say much.
    • * There's an airport in Sochi. Why truck crucial equipment, especially if the roads are bad?
    • * Okay, you have to truck your equipment in for some strange reason, fine. Why through Kazakhstan? I haven't driven it so I'm just going from a map, but there look to be at least two major routes between Moscow and Sochi. Not short routes (20+ hours, G. Maps estimates), but still shorter than anything that goes through Kazakhstan.

    This seems like a fluff marketing piece for Avaya. I'm sure they're doing some really cool stuff in Sochi, but we didn't learn much about it for all that text. Sad face.