You talk about this as if car companies should make innovative cars out of the kindness of their hearts
If I gave that impression I apologize.
While I personally believe a corporation should try to be socially and environmentally conscious, I know full well that most are not.
Their chief concern is to make money, and I think I made it pretty clear that they make the most money by minimizing the changes needed to the cars. If they could get away with selling the same car year after year with no changes, they would, and as far as the bottom line is concerned, I would have to admit I couldn't blame them.
Selling a car at a loss is a bad business decision.
Here is how I see Fuel Cell Cars making it onto the roads in anything resembling sizable numbers:
Government Mandate. Make it happen or go to jail. This seems to be the present strategy and is doomed for a long list of reasons.
Hybrid cars (Fuel Cell / Gas, Fuel Cell / Electric or Fuel Cell / Electric / Gas) make it onto the market and become popular. Slowly, the infrastructure grows to service the Fuel Cell components of hybrid cars. Eventually the point is reached where pure fuel cell cars are viable in the open market.
The government subsidizes Fuel Cell cars to the point where people buy enough of them to justify the development of the infrastructure needed to support them, and thus make them a viable product without subsidies.
It was a key component in the plans for my new Heisenberg Compensator. It's unique properties were going to make the Heisenberg Compensator dependent technologies feasible at last. Now it's back to square 1. 5 years of research down the drain.
In related news, the RIAA announced Microsoft as the "One True OS," and declared that the only computer systems that will be able to play CDs manured after Jan 1, 2003 will be Microsoft's new OS, "MS, We Own You."
Hillary Rosen is quoted as saying "This new system will finally give us the ability to destroy IP Piracy. Once Microsoft flips the global kill switch on Windows 95, 98, ME, 200 and XP, the only computers left will be ones running the new OS. We're very excited about the new pending legislation that would make it illegal to run Hacker Operating Systems like the degenerate Apple or Communist Linux systems. We will control what you see, we will control what you hear, and soon, we will control what you think! MWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
It would cost a lot of money and piss off the oil cartels if we replaced gas with fuel cell cars.
The big 3 don't like to innovate. Innovation is expensive. Even the energy crisis of the 1970's didn't make them change until the Japanese started selling fuel efficient cars. They'd have to spend many billions of dollars developing new cars if a switch to fuel cells really happened. Auto mechanics would have to retrain, the tow truck drivers would need to add gear to tow the new cars, full cell stations would have to be set up nationwide. Factories would have to be retooled to manufacture the new cars. They'd have to bid out a whole slew of contracts to manufacture the outsourced components.
The only real changes that have taken place in fuel efficiency has been forced by legal mandate.
If they throw a sum of money at alternative fuel R&D, they have a very strong footing to push back new regulations. "We're already developing these new cars. It will be $current_year + 20 before they're feasible!" becomes a valid, supportable excuse.
They're spending 1 billion, not to develop new cars, but to avoid spending even more on developing a real line of fuel cell cars. They want to keep selling us the same old same old year after year, which is far less expensive than developing something new.
Don't get too excited. It's just another PR filled "Vision" of the future. This ranks right up there with the flying cars and moon vacations we were supposed to have by 2000.
There isn't even a prototype for crying out loud! It's LESS relevant than the concept cars you see at auto shows.
RIAA Spokeswoman Hillary Rosen immedietly began a legal action to block this technology. "It would allow for the creation of Analog to digital and digital to Analog translation devices! It must be stopped. All industry must bow before RIAA profits! All technology that can be used to pirate music must be destroyed! Kill them! Hang them all!"
Or do what Prince is doing and distribute music to a smaller audience, but make more money in the process. Getting a bigger slice of a smaller pie can result in an increase in profit.
Which would you have, millions of fans and a few hundred thousand dollars, or thousands of fans and a few million dollars?
Mao: "We have a population problem. Economic incentives to single child families and forced abortions to women carrying a second child are not enough."
Sung: "Well, we do have a monopoly on the world's Chinese women. Do you have any idea how many men world wide fantasize about them? They're HOT!"
Mao: "That's it! We'll get the men to fantasize about non Chinese women! We'll replace all the porn sites with sites advocating sex wit women most of our population will never meet! They'll lose interest in sex and spend their time working!"
"Why would you want to view these sites? They're all crap! Where's the content?"
"Go back to your homes, read the newspapers we print for you and for Mao's Sake Don't get knocked up! We have enough people as it is. I repeat, DO NOT SCREW!"
Have a listing of./ users who have server space and are willing to provide a cache. When a site is about to be posted, an e-mail is sent out giving those users 5, 10, 15 or whatever min to mirror the site. As the posted site is./ed, these "cache./ers" post links to their mirror.
I would like to be the first./ cache user, and would happily mirror sites for./ use.
Have a listing of./ users who have server space and are willing to provide a cache. When a site is about to be posted, an e-mail is sent out giving those users 5, 10, 15 or whatever min to mirror the site. As the posted site is./ed, these "cache./ers" post links to their mirror.
I would like to be the first./ cache user, and would happily mirror sites for./ use.
Slashdot Mirror
OK, so if I switch from Red Bull, Bawls, Whoopass and Skyrocket Syrup to Pepsi, I would have to drink...
(Quick Math)
245 cans a day to keep up my caffeine intake.
I think that will give me an edge.
Space, Here I Come!
Please read as:
...back to square one.
Five years of research down the drain...
Remember when your English teacher told you to always spell out numbers less than ten? This is why.
Wasn't there just an article on frauds in physics?
If I gave that impression I apologize.
While I personally believe a corporation should try to be socially and environmentally conscious, I know full well that most are not.
Their chief concern is to make money, and I think I made it pretty clear that they make the most money by minimizing the changes needed to the cars. If they could get away with selling the same car year after year with no changes, they would, and as far as the bottom line is concerned, I would have to admit I couldn't blame them.
Selling a car at a loss is a bad business decision.
Here is how I see Fuel Cell Cars making it onto the roads in anything resembling sizable numbers:
118 is a fraud!
Noooooooooooooo!!
It was a key component in the plans for my new Heisenberg Compensator. It's unique properties were going to make the Heisenberg Compensator dependent technologies feasible at last. Now it's back to square 1. 5 years of research down the drain.
(sob)
(choke)
Must Control Fist of Death
Hmm. OpenOffice Spell Check has a sense of humor.
Damn. Should have read all the articles before posting instead of just one.
Damn.
Damn.
Damn.
I won't do THAT again.
Ah hell, it doesn't count unless it's at a Detroit auto show anyway. Besides, a working demo isn't the same as a prototype.
In related news, the RIAA announced Microsoft as the "One True OS," and declared that the only computer systems that will be able to play CDs manured after Jan 1, 2003 will be Microsoft's new OS, "MS, We Own You."
Hillary Rosen is quoted as saying "This new system will finally give us the ability to destroy IP Piracy. Once Microsoft flips the global kill switch on Windows 95, 98, ME, 200 and XP, the only computers left will be ones running the new OS. We're very excited about the new pending legislation that would make it illegal to run Hacker Operating Systems like the degenerate Apple or Communist Linux systems. We will control what you see, we will control what you hear, and soon, we will control what you think! MWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
OK, here's the deal.
It would cost a lot of money and piss off the oil cartels if we replaced gas with fuel cell cars.
The big 3 don't like to innovate. Innovation is expensive. Even the energy crisis of the 1970's didn't make them change until the Japanese started selling fuel efficient cars. They'd have to spend many billions of dollars developing new cars if a switch to fuel cells really happened. Auto mechanics would have to retrain, the tow truck drivers would need to add gear to tow the new cars, full cell stations would have to be set up nationwide. Factories would have to be retooled to manufacture the new cars. They'd have to bid out a whole slew of contracts to manufacture the outsourced components.
The only real changes that have taken place in fuel efficiency has been forced by legal mandate.
If they throw a sum of money at alternative fuel R&D, they have a very strong footing to push back new regulations. "We're already developing these new cars. It will be $current_year + 20 before they're feasible!" becomes a valid, supportable excuse.
They're spending 1 billion, not to develop new cars, but to avoid spending even more on developing a real line of fuel cell cars. They want to keep selling us the same old same old year after year, which is far less expensive than developing something new.
The Perl Jam album didn't show up on Kazaa Lite, but the Amos album did.
I guess there was less motivation to share Perl Jam than Amos.
Damn, what a time to blank on all the possible sexual puns that the situation promises.
Don't get too excited. It's just another PR filled "Vision" of the future. This ranks right up there with the flying cars and moon vacations we were supposed to have by 2000.
There isn't even a prototype for crying out loud! It's LESS relevant than the concept cars you see at auto shows.
Will not happen.
RIAA Spokeswoman Hillary Rosen immedietly began a legal action to block this technology. "It would allow for the creation of Analog to digital and digital to Analog translation devices! It must be stopped. All industry must bow before RIAA profits! All technology that can be used to pirate music must be destroyed! Kill them! Hang them all!"
Or do what Prince is doing and distribute music to a smaller audience, but make more money in the process. Getting a bigger slice of a smaller pie can result in an increase in profit.
Which would you have, millions of fans and a few hundred thousand dollars, or thousands of fans and a few million dollars?
He killed his wife!!! Oh my god!!!!
Nice rack though
Mao: "We have a population problem. Economic incentives to single child families and forced abortions to women carrying a second child are not enough."
Sung: "Well, we do have a monopoly on the world's Chinese women. Do you have any idea how many men world wide fantasize about them? They're HOT!"
Mao: "That's it! We'll get the men to fantasize about non Chinese women! We'll replace all the porn sites with sites advocating sex wit women most of our population will never meet! They'll lose interest in sex and spend their time working!"
Sung: "Brilliant! Get right on it!"
Mao: "You mean I have to implement it?"
Sung: "Or be hung for treason."
Mao: "Tech suppot!"
How insidious.
"Why would you want to view these sites? They're all crap! Where's the content?"
"Go back to your homes, read the newspapers we print for you and for Mao's Sake Don't get knocked up! We have enough people as it is. I repeat, DO NOT SCREW!"
I think it's only a matter of time before the people of China put an end to the censorship.
Yep, and it's only a matter of time before they have a nice republic set up too. This communism thing will never last.
It's not the lack of freedom that will change things, but block a man's google.com and you're begging for revolution!
If it's from Intel, why does the photo have a Dell logo on it?
D'Oh!
Have a listing of ./ users who have server space and are willing to provide a cache. When a site is about to be posted, an e-mail is sent out giving those users 5, 10, 15 or whatever min to mirror the site. As the posted site is ./ed, these "cache ./ers" post links to their mirror.
./ cache user, and would happily mirror sites for ./ use.
I would like to be the first
Here's an IDEA.
./ users who have server space and are willing to provide a cache. When a site is about to be posted, an e-mail is sent out giving those users 5, 10, 15 or whatever min to mirror the site. As the posted site is ./ed, these "cache ./ers" post links to their mirror.
./ cache user, and would happily mirror sites for ./ use.
Have a listing of
I would like to be the first
Where has all the band width gone?
Do, da do, da do.
Now I and my friends can LARP the userfriendly.org story arc where they moved into a missile silo!
Yes!
I had the chance to be the first post, but decided to mirror the site first.
My mirror is here
Yes, but it's one of the REALLY good ones that can crush ice without going to pieces.