To the naysayers, the WIG effect is well understood, and very energy efficient. It is also a very simple concept to implement - the problem is getting infrastructure constructed.
In my first year of highschool I made a similar system - it was essentially the same design as in the picture, except with a R/C car with triling line to pull it along. On that scale it was trivial to make a model that would go about 2" off the ground.
For a production model of this train you would expect it to ride about 1.5 - 2 feet above the tracks. Any closer and you have to spend too much time cleaning the track path to make it financially viable.
The best solution would be to combine MagLev technology with the WIG train, have Maglev at stations, thus minimising time to get the train up to a high enough speed to use WIG. This keeps the costs of MagLev to a minimum, and the energy inefficiency of long time ground contact to a minimum.
just my thoughts - one last thing, in a MagLev train, how do they shield everything from the fields? or i guess it wouldn't matter since its not oscillating....
because it's [down]scalable, and because its free to develop for. Not to mention the benefits for tech's who can just jack into the UNIX system they're diagnosing and do everything 'natively' at least thats how I'd imagine it going. It's easier.
A commandline can be a very handy thing, didn't someone once say that 'the reason for windowing was to allow more xterms'?
If features of linux aren't needed, they can be deleted from the kernel, linux doesn't have to be restricted to being a 'server OS'.
Doubtlessly there are some companies using 'me too' factor, but alot of work has been done on embedded linux by other individuals,but linux is completely hackable, you can change it to make it fit your device - AND draw on previously written code, and lots of it - project managers love 'code reuse'....
You're missing the point, the IBM z50 is designed as a highly portable computer, something you can charge up and run for 8 hrs +, I've heard reports of 10 + hours, try that with a standard laptop.
They aren't intended to have the sheer grunt power of a standard PC (laptop/desktop) as this isn't the primary purpose, if they did - currently, the machine would have abismal battery life.
Storgae space is still an issue, but then its not intended to have a LOT of stuff on there - and solutions are coming, IBM already has a compactflash sized 340Mb hard drive, and a 1GB sized drive is in the works. Plenty of room.
huggable computers? methinks tis time to get out and do something if you wanna get all cosy with your GNU HURD bOxen..... on the other hand, love the one you're with?
is the problem because its distributed in source code form? because it strikes me that as a binary it is exactly the same (in essence) as any of the various programs for using DVD's on another OS?
would a modified license change this - maybe one that forced non-disclosure of source code to anyone who wouldn't then accept that license? If that would be acceptable then problem is solved, since everyone wanting source would just accept the license.
Isn't that similar to the way most non-disclosure agreements work?
or is it just knickers in a knot because it was done and they thought they were being too clever?
whats up with this, I submitted this 2 days ago just after it hit Usenet *sigh*.
Granted, it sounds and looks like vapourware, as far as screenshots - the obviously incorrect title goes, and the awful 'concept' looking pictures of the unit - and the lack of any real specs except vague stuff about ARM CPU's and how many inches the screen is.
As a concept, its good (though I'd wanna have gloves on if I were handling it, think of how much the processor will heat up when Mr/Mrs Samsung PDA is shaking its tail feather).
why are all these ppl complaining about linux on a PDA/PsPC (whatever you choose to categorise it as) - they spend all their time on here waxing lyrical about the wonders of this OS then bag it out later. I think they need to remember that Linux is the kernel. The programs ls, ps, cd, ppd and so on are merely programs designed FOR linux to run. The reason it is great for a PDA is because you can take away all the garbage you don't need, and add on or keep what you do.
Obviously nobody wants extended typing on a PDA, lots of the time we pon't want it on our desktops - thats what Tk, Qt, Motif and other GUI toolkits are for - for PDAs, nanoX and Microwindows are common. The thing is to pick a standard toolkit and use it, I DON'T want to have thousands of different GUI libraries stuck on my machine.
Ease of operation via stability and extensibilty is what linux can give to PDA's. As the standard open source mantra holds, if I don't like it, I or someone else can change it. If i create a program, I can keep that as the 'backend', I can then make a frontend GUI that is tailored to the display type. Like all those various frontends to your favourite mp3 ripper.
USB support is interesting, if they've got it working properly, when will the community be able to get hold of the source code and fix it up for our PCs?
Radio? nice addition, I'd been looking at making one for my Nino (for those who know it, I was thinking of a clip on in place of the modem). Though how long till RIAA or someone whacks a law suit on it for being able to copy what it receives.
Slashdot Mirror
In my first year of highschool I made a similar system - it was essentially the same design as in the picture, except with a R/C car with triling line to pull it along. On that scale it was trivial to make a model that would go about 2" off the ground.
For a production model of this train you would expect it to ride about 1.5 - 2 feet above the tracks. Any closer and you have to spend too much time cleaning the track path to make it financially viable.
The best solution would be to combine MagLev technology with the WIG train, have Maglev at stations, thus minimising time to get the train up to a high enough speed to use WIG. This keeps the costs of MagLev to a minimum, and the energy inefficiency of long time ground contact to a minimum.
just my thoughts - one last thing, in a MagLev train, how do they shield everything from the fields? or i guess it wouldn't matter since its not oscillating....
thats all folks
A commandline can be a very handy thing, didn't someone once say that 'the reason for windowing was to allow more xterms'?
If features of linux aren't needed, they can be deleted from the kernel, linux doesn't have to be restricted to being a 'server OS'.
Doubtlessly there are some companies using 'me too' factor, but alot of work has been done on embedded linux by other individuals,but linux is completely hackable, you can change it to make it fit your device - AND draw on previously written code, and lots of it - project managers love 'code reuse'....
just my $0.02
They aren't intended to have the sheer grunt power of a standard PC (laptop/desktop) as this isn't the primary purpose, if they did - currently, the machine would have abismal battery life.
Storgae space is still an issue, but then its not intended to have a LOT of stuff on there - and solutions are coming, IBM already has a compactflash sized 340Mb hard drive, and a 1GB sized drive is in the works. Plenty of room.
just my $0.02
huggable computers? methinks tis time to get out and do something if you wanna get all cosy with your GNU HURD bOxen ..... on the other hand, love the one you're with?
would a modified license change this - maybe one that forced non-disclosure of source code to anyone who wouldn't then accept that license? If that would be acceptable then problem is solved, since everyone wanting source would just accept the license.
Isn't that similar to the way most non-disclosure agreements work?
or is it just knickers in a knot because it was done and they thought they were being too clever?
Granted, it sounds and looks like vapourware, as far as screenshots - the obviously incorrect title goes, and the awful 'concept' looking pictures of the unit - and the lack of any real specs except vague stuff about ARM CPU's and how many inches the screen is.
As a concept, its good (though I'd wanna have gloves on if I were handling it, think of how much the processor will heat up when Mr/Mrs Samsung PDA is shaking its tail feather).
why are all these ppl complaining about linux on a PDA/PsPC (whatever you choose to categorise it as) - they spend all their time on here waxing lyrical about the wonders of this OS then bag it out later. I think they need to remember that Linux is the kernel. The programs ls, ps, cd, ppd and so on are merely programs designed FOR linux to run. The reason it is great for a PDA is because you can take away all the garbage you don't need, and add on or keep what you do.
Obviously nobody wants extended typing on a PDA, lots of the time we pon't want it on our desktops - thats what Tk, Qt, Motif and other GUI toolkits are for - for PDAs, nanoX and Microwindows are common. The thing is to pick a standard toolkit and use it, I DON'T want to have thousands of different GUI libraries stuck on my machine.
Ease of operation via stability and extensibilty is what linux can give to PDA's. As the standard open source mantra holds, if I don't like it, I or someone else can change it. If i create a program, I can keep that as the 'backend', I can then make a frontend GUI that is tailored to the display type. Like all those various frontends to your favourite mp3 ripper.
USB support is interesting, if they've got it working properly, when will the community be able to get hold of the source code and fix it up for our PCs?
Radio? nice addition, I'd been looking at making one for my Nino (for those who know it, I was thinking of a clip on in place of the modem). Though how long till RIAA or someone whacks a law suit on it for being able to copy what it receives.
just my $0.02