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Google Sells Maine Barge For Scrap
An anonymous reader writes "Reports indicate that Google has sold one of its two mystery Google Barges. The barge in question is located in Portland, Maine. While Google's Maine barge is to be scrapped, the fate of its second barge – located in Stockton, California – remains unknown. From the article: "Now, instead of planning a future unveiling of the finished project, Google apparently dropped it. In an email response to eWEEK, a Google spokesperson would only confirm that the barge had been sold and declined to reveal any more about the now-defunct project or any such future endeavors. The scrapping of the barge in Portland Harbor was first reported July 31 by The Portland Press, which said it will be heading out to an undisclosed location after being purchased by an unnamed international barge company. The barge carried 63 shipping containers that were arranged to create a four-story building and was slated to be filled with technologies that were to be displayed to the public."
OK, bare with me, it's gonna get complicated.
Thanks for the offer, but I'll have to pass. I don't really want to see your private parts.
If a mysterious project from a major tech company gets dropped silently how is this not news for nerds?
Yeah it's been on /. previously a bunch, so probably some people are interested in the follow-up: 2008, 2008 again, 2013, 2013 again. Might've missed some others in between.
10 PRINT CHR$(205.5+RND(1)); : GOTO 10
I believe Google was genuine in their attempts to scope this idea. What Google did get was a lesson in port authorities and waterside workers. The so called secrecy flies in the face of the two traditional groups. Port Authorities do not give up regulatory power, and the workers do not tolerate secrecy. If Google thought this would have been like a land based data center in Oregon or some such place they were sorely mistaken.
In post Patriot Act America, the library books scan you.
The Coast Guard regulations too.
Passionately Indifferent
The theory, from the investment bankers, is that for every 20 nutso projects, one will be a homerun and return more than 20:1 on the investment. 95% failure rate still = win.