I am far from an expert. However, I think you will have a lot of "run" when you use a simple mirror model. Like the spatula turning the titantic analogy.
More complex mirror configuration (light reflecting off more than one mirror) could be used to mitigate this effect. However, solar pressure is still very small compared to the enormous kinetic energy such a sail would build over a period of months or years. Don't expect these things to spot an asteroid, veer out of the path of danger, and then get right back on track.
My guess is that if these things ever do make it as a main stream propulsion system, it will be married to a small chemical propulsion device for such events. Chemical is much more suited for short blasts of intense energy, but much less suited for the long haul.
Then again, fission energy may beat both if we can get over some of our societal hangups.
Untrue. By changing the angle of the surfaces reflecting the sunlight, one can change direction. Admittedly, this is like turning the Titantic with a spatula. But given enough time, you can change direction.
Huge difference between session cookies and persistent cookies. Session cookies end when I close my browser. I have no problems with these. They are often very useful when the website doesn't want to deal with storage on their end.
Persistent cookies... I nuke on a regular basis. I may switch on the automagic nuke ant end of browser session... but I have one or two sites (like slashdot) where I'd like to keep them...
I hate Hollywood. They like to spout of on things they know nothing about. Take this high profile individual who granted an interview to the BBC to say that cookies are bad !
Nah. The background is what made the photo. The photo wasn't meant to be a family photo. It looked more like "urban realism".
The look in the kids eyes. The very plain background. Nothing fancy. Didn't even fall into the overused grafitti on wall trap. It gave me the impression of someone who has learned to be tough at a young age.
It is in contrast with the baby face of the subject, who would not have looked out of place in the suburbs, laughing and playing with friends. Makes me think of what the inner-city can do to a kid.
But, that is me. But it is also what made me think it was professional. It wasn't "awwww how cute" like most home pictures are.
I think it had more to do with the midgets, the trapeze and the leather restraining harness. Not all employees want to see your "personal preferences".
A search of my comment history will show I am very anti-piracy. But stuff like this makes me feel lke telling everyone to go download every freaking copyrighted photo on the net and send to all your friends.
No. But it does always take away a resource. Time. When I was 17 (or even 21), I'd have agreed with you. I had a lot more time than money. Now I am 31, and have a lot more money than time. I will spend money to make more time when I can. Money is a resource that can always grow. But no matter who you are, you have 86,400 seconds per day.
But, we are all at different places in our lives. The experience of putting together computers can be very rewarding. It helped put me through college. But today... nope.
The most useless thing I do anymore is post to Slashdot:) But even that provides intellectual stimulation while keeping me up on general trends.
I'm not putting anyone down for putting together PCs. I am putting folks down put folks down because they don't.
Excuse my ignorance. I am not really familiar with the techical aspects of the multi-core CPUs out there. But, then again, most others aren't either -- I see so much conflicted information that I feel like researching it myself:)
Wouldn't CPU hyperthreading mostly allow MULTIPLE applications to run side-by-side better, rather than a single application? An application understands how the threads interact with each other... whether data must go back and forth... whether they must be synchronized, or can act independently... the CPU can't know this intrinsically. It CAN however allow two independent processes to run in parallel. So, my freecell won't be slowed down by my development engine.
I write business apps for my department. I have only a few cases where threading is appropriate. In general, this is when the system needs to work with a slow-opening report. Open report while user is doing his work, then at approporiate time marry the report to the work the user was doing. There is very little else I can see myself needing threading models for.
Now, a mutli-thread capable CPU would be nice. No matter how good the OS, there is overhead associated with thread swapping.
But this is the diference between theoretical science and applied science. I have no problem with research into nanotech. I have no problem with implementing new science into society. I do have a problem with blind implementation.
You've never had to climb under my in-laws desk to try to plug things in:) Next time, I am having someone tie a bungie cord to my leg to pull me out when the dust bunnies mob me!
For a high end computer? Yes, I will agree with you. Fold my in-laws who surf the web and write e-mails? I go with the Dell $299 system. Remove the IE icon. Put Firefox on it. I do go with McAfee firewall/anti-virus, which is more user friendly than the freeware ones I use.
Ummmm. No. Read whole thread. This is about Dell v Do-It-Yourself. If you are looking to do-it-yourself for the price of Dell, please be sure to include labor costs.
And thanks for the flame mods. I do appreciate it. I love wasting modpoints of those with nothing valuable to contribute. I figure it is my way of helping the mod system as a whole.
Slashdot Mirror
I am far from an expert. However, I think you will have a lot of "run" when you use a simple mirror model. Like the spatula turning the titantic analogy.
More complex mirror configuration (light reflecting off more than one mirror) could be used to mitigate this effect. However, solar pressure is still very small compared to the enormous kinetic energy such a sail would build over a period of months or years. Don't expect these things to spot an asteroid, veer out of the path of danger, and then get right back on track.
My guess is that if these things ever do make it as a main stream propulsion system, it will be married to a small chemical propulsion device for such events. Chemical is much more suited for short blasts of intense energy, but much less suited for the long haul.
Then again, fission energy may beat both if we can get over some of our societal hangups.
Untrue. By changing the angle of the surfaces reflecting the sunlight, one can change direction. Admittedly, this is like turning the Titantic with a spatula. But given enough time, you can change direction.
Huge difference between session cookies and persistent cookies. Session cookies end when I close my browser. I have no problems with these. They are often very useful when the website doesn't want to deal with storage on their end.
Persistent cookies... I nuke on a regular basis. I may switch on the automagic nuke ant end of browser session... but I have one or two sites (like slashdot) where I'd like to keep them...
I hate Hollywood. They like to spout of on things they know nothing about. Take this high profile individual who granted an interview to the BBC to say that cookies are bad !
Brain size... not chin size :)
I said "not all employees want to see...". Some employees not only want to see, but want to sell to highest bidder.
:)
Please read closer next time
Nah. The background is what made the photo. The photo wasn't meant to be a family photo. It looked more like "urban realism".
The look in the kids eyes. The very plain background. Nothing fancy. Didn't even fall into the overused grafitti on wall trap. It gave me the impression of someone who has learned to be tough at a young age.
It is in contrast with the baby face of the subject, who would not have looked out of place in the suburbs, laughing and playing with friends. Makes me think of what the inner-city can do to a kid.
But, that is me. But it is also what made me think it was professional. It wasn't "awwww how cute" like most home pictures are.
I think it had more to do with the midgets, the trapeze and the leather restraining harness.
Not all employees want to see your "personal preferences".
Hate to break this to you: I'd have guessed the black-and-white was professional too.
A search of my comment history will show I am very anti-piracy. But stuff like this makes me feel lke telling everyone to go download every freaking copyrighted photo on the net and send to all your friends.
Big brother ridiculous.
It's why the Russians were so kick ass. No religion allowed. The cultural flourished under the Bolsheviks!
No. But it does always take away a resource. Time. When I was 17 (or even 21), I'd have agreed with you. I had a lot more time than money. Now I am 31, and have a lot more money than time. I will spend money to make more time when I can. Money is a resource that can always grow. But no matter who you are, you have 86,400 seconds per day.
:) But even that provides intellectual stimulation while keeping me up on general trends.
But, we are all at different places in our lives. The experience of putting together computers can be very rewarding. It helped put me through college. But today... nope.
The most useless thing I do anymore is post to Slashdot
I'm not putting anyone down for putting together PCs. I am putting folks down put folks down because they don't.
Excuse my ignorance. I am not really familiar with the techical aspects of the multi-core CPUs out there. But, then again, most others aren't either -- I see so much conflicted information that I feel like researching it myself :)
Wouldn't CPU hyperthreading mostly allow MULTIPLE applications to run side-by-side better, rather than a single application? An application understands how the threads interact with each other... whether data must go back and forth... whether they must be synchronized, or can act independently... the CPU can't know this intrinsically. It CAN however allow two independent processes to run in parallel. So, my freecell won't be slowed down by my development engine.
I write business apps for my department. I have only a few cases where threading is appropriate. In general, this is when the system needs to work with a slow-opening report. Open report while user is doing his work, then at approporiate time marry the report to the work the user was doing. There is very little else I can see myself needing threading models for.
Now, a mutli-thread capable CPU would be nice. No matter how good the OS, there is overhead associated with thread swapping.
But this is the diference between theoretical science and applied science. I have no problem with research into nanotech. I have no problem with implementing new science into society. I do have a problem with blind implementation.
Why do folks blindly accept things before the downside has been discovered?
You've never had to climb under my in-laws desk to try to plug things in :) Next time, I am having someone tie a bungie cord to my leg to pull me out when the dust bunnies mob me!
For a high end computer? Yes, I will agree with you. Fold my in-laws who surf the web and write e-mails? I go with the Dell $299 system. Remove the IE icon. Put Firefox on it. I do go with McAfee firewall/anti-virus, which is more user friendly than the freeware ones I use.
How can I beat that on my own?
No fair being nice to me when I am in a pissy mood. Just makes me more pissy. ...
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okay. point taken. will take a deep breath before posting next time.
Ummmm. No. Read whole thread. This is about Dell v Do-It-Yourself. If you are looking to do-it-yourself for the price of Dell, please be sure to include labor costs.
Maybe some of us have time that is worth more than $0 per hour?
I gotta copy this post. It has gotten modded up to +5 in like the past twelve google stories. Sometimes +5 insightful.. usually +5 funny though.
And thanks for the flame mods. I do appreciate it. I love wasting modpoints of those with nothing valuable to contribute. I figure it is my way of helping the mod system as a whole.
Please slap some downmods on this one too!
I'll have to remember that excuse next time :)
1) I got to the site just fine.
2) What does ASP have to do with sites going down?
:) Perhaps I need an editor too :)