I was sending emails to people about this all last week - if all the people who use the API now get in touch with one another, they might be able to collectively demonstrate just how much NRE is hindering innovation. And then the regulator can step in. (Email me via my website if you're interested!)
I wrote the CPAN module for this API, and have had a similar cool response from NRE to my request for an API token.
ATOC were investigated by the Office for Rail Regulation for possible breach of the Competition Act over this data (the full report is long, but interesting in its own way): http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.2433
"Critical to this conclusion was that we found no evidence that ATOC’s conduct in granting access to Darwin had prevented a new product from coming to market or hampered the emergence of new technology."
I believe the ORR plans to revisit this decision at some point, to examine whether this is still true. So... if the efforts by local and central government to "persuade" ATOC to open this data do not produce results, one approach is to build as many cool, innovative apps on top of this API as possible while it still works. Then ask for licenses for them. If ATOC do not grant those licenses, the rejection notices can be handed to the regulator to show what effect this is having on development in this area.
Bizarrely, you would think it would be in the interests of the Train Operating Companies for the public to have convenient access to this data - but the association that represents them seems more interested in making a quick buck on licensing Android and iPhone apps.
Oh well, I gave it my best shot.:) This just seemed like a good short/medium term solution, because I know not everyone's going to give up their cars right away, and fuel cell technology isn't here yet, as far as I can see. I'm not sure that solar cells are terribly efficient either atm... but has that changed? Would it be economical to generate hydrogen from solar power? And in the original article, it said that existing diesel engines could use this form of biodiesel - is that just wrong?
I too would see the benefits in a pure electric economy, provided that you're not having to use lots of heavy metals in the batteries, and provided the energy transfers aren't too inefficient. Oh, and provided you generate it cleanly.
(Btw, I like the way you used the low energy density of hydrogen to argue that it wasn't very explosive. If it's compressed (perhaps with lots of oxygen around as well) does that change anything?)
Oh yes, sorry, I just mindlessly summarised the article, without checking your original point.;)
Still, about three of those arguments still hold. I'm not sure what you mean by harnessing or controlling the CO2 - I mean, the algae takes CO2 out of the atmosphere when it makes the oil (to put it crudely) and then the CO2 is given off when it's burnt. What's to control?
And I read in another article that the hydrogen-producing process needs to reach 50% of its theoretical possible efficiency before it becomes cheap enough to use (they're at 10% at the moment). Biodiesel from algae seems to be cheaper.
I'm not sure hydrogen would offer terribly many advantages over biodiesel. This idea has certainly convinced me. Btw, this is dealt with in the article...
Hydrogen is explosive
Diesel has a higher energy density than hydrogen (so you don't need to store as much).
If you extract hydrogen from natural gas, it's not exactly renewable, is it?
If you use electrolysis, that needs an energy source... diesel?
With diesel, you won't need to convert every car in the country to use expensive fuel cells.
Besides, if you're using a biofuel, the net CO2 emissions are zero, and the only other significant waste product is water anyway (ignoring contaminants).
The potential for wind energy (in the UK, at least) is much greater than you think. In fact, it could supply three times the UK's electricity usage. This is just offshore wind farms; it doesn't account for all the various other environmentally-friendly sources.
While there would always be a need for balance in the energy supply (so solar power and wave/tidal power should also be looked into) is it really necessary to go rushing off to fusion just like that?
Slashdot Mirror
Well, nearly: they charge companies for the right to implement the apps for them, who then sell them to the public at £5 a time.
Except when they revoke licenses without warning, and get investigated under competition law. See my other comment further down the page somewhere.
I was sending emails to people about this all last week - if all the people who use the API now get in touch with one another, they might be able to collectively demonstrate just how much NRE is hindering innovation. And then the regulator can step in. (Email me via my website if you're interested!)
I wrote the CPAN module for this API, and have had a similar cool response from NRE to my request for an API token.
ATOC were investigated by the Office for Rail Regulation for possible breach of the Competition Act over this data (the full report is long, but interesting in its own way):
http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.2433
"Critical to this conclusion was that we found no evidence that ATOC’s conduct in granting access to Darwin had prevented a new product from coming to market or hampered the emergence of new technology."
I believe the ORR plans to revisit this decision at some point, to examine whether this is still true. So... if the efforts by local and central government to "persuade" ATOC to open this data do not produce results, one approach is to build as many cool, innovative apps on top of this API as possible while it still works. Then ask for licenses for them. If ATOC do not grant those licenses, the rejection notices can be handed to the regulator to show what effect this is having on development in this area.
Bizarrely, you would think it would be in the interests of the Train Operating Companies for the public to have convenient access to this data - but the association that represents them seems more interested in making a quick buck on licensing Android and iPhone apps.
As a restriction on use, this breaks freedom zero and No Discrimination Against Fields of Endeavor.
But, er, no one is seriously planning to use this, right?
The operating system was bad enough, but now they've brought out a deliberately malicious uninstaller?
"Wait, it's got a knife... get back, back I tell you!"
Oh well, I gave it my best shot. :) This just seemed like a good short/medium term solution, because I know not everyone's going to give up their cars right away, and fuel cell technology isn't here yet, as far as I can see. I'm not sure that solar cells are terribly efficient either atm... but has that changed? Would it be economical to generate hydrogen from solar power? And in the original article, it said that existing diesel engines could use this form of biodiesel - is that just wrong?
I too would see the benefits in a pure electric economy, provided that you're not having to use lots of heavy metals in the batteries, and provided the energy transfers aren't too inefficient. Oh, and provided you generate it cleanly.
(Btw, I like the way you used the low energy density of hydrogen to argue that it wasn't very explosive. If it's compressed (perhaps with lots of oxygen around as well) does that change anything?)
Oh yes, sorry, I just mindlessly summarised the article, without checking your original point. ;)
Still, about three of those arguments still hold. I'm not sure what you mean by harnessing or controlling the CO2 - I mean, the algae takes CO2 out of the atmosphere when it makes the oil (to put it crudely) and then the CO2 is given off when it's burnt. What's to control?
And I read in another article that the hydrogen-producing process needs to reach 50% of its theoretical possible efficiency before it becomes cheap enough to use (they're at 10% at the moment). Biodiesel from algae seems to be cheaper.
I'm not sure hydrogen would offer terribly many advantages over biodiesel. This idea has certainly convinced me. Btw, this is dealt with in the article...
Besides, if you're using a biofuel, the net CO2 emissions are zero, and the only other significant waste product is water anyway (ignoring contaminants).
I looked up the article...
JEFFREY R. PAINE
University of Illinois, Springfield
If he's seen Mr. Burns' safety practices, I'm not surprised he's against nuclear energy.
The potential for wind energy (in the UK, at least) is much greater than you think. In fact, it could supply three times the UK's electricity usage. This is just offshore wind farms; it doesn't account for all the various other environmentally-friendly sources.
While there would always be a need for balance in the energy supply (so solar power and wave/tidal power should also be looked into) is it really necessary to go rushing off to fusion just like that?
Ask and it shall be given unto you...
Disable blinking elements
Isn't Firefox great? ;)
I just downloaded the patch and am successfully running 2.6.6. :-)
Is it me or was the boot time considerably faster than before? Almost blinked and missed it. Anyone else found that?
Now I just have to clean out init.d.