Alright, I was quick to judge and there is no way of knowing how many people worked on it or what technology is included. However, 10+ years is a heck of a long time to work on the bill and I'm not sure taking more time on something necessarily insures that it is the best. But I will concede on the grounds that this is one of those situations that you can't just iterate on. It works or it doesn't and the consequences of failure are incredibly high.
The latter is cliched because it incorporates an additional fundamental constant, pi. Who would have thought that the ratio of the circumference of a circle to the diameter when multiplied by the imaginary number and then exponentiated by another constant e would produce such a simple equation which also includes the multiplication identity and the addition identity? Yes, pi is chosen but it certainly encompasses the trigonometry and geometry (rotations, sinx, cosx, etc.).
The article certainly doesn't state anything new. Fail safes such as the "freeze plug" or the ship to order model or the lack of pressurization are not new. On the flip side though, at least we're seeing this resurgence (in public interest) in nuclear technology whether it be MSRs or other Generation IV+ reactors. Maybe having private companies make significant progress on a tight budget is what it takes to drive further funding from large governmental bodies, just as in the Space industry.
Check out Bespoke Innovations. http://www.bespokeinnovations.com/ They're doing something very similar to what you're talking about. They were bought out by the now large 3D Systems but I believe they are continuing their work.
One important suggestion (if any of the team members are watching this story): I just signed up for site and received my password in plain text in an email. Please don't do this.
I'm sure Google and Apple and the other large companies fall into this category. I'm not sure I qualify them as trolls. Neither would the number of patents held by those companies qualify them either.
I think the issue will be in identifying who qualifies as a patent troll. Of course we know but what is a legal definition that would suffice and encompass all the companies that acts as trolls?
You're right, he does highlight the distinction between people you know and people you should know. I instantly thought of Ark when hearing about this. I'd like to see how they and Ark might facilitate those connections once you've identified them. If I'm traveling abroad and meet someone from the same small town, I don't know how inclined I'll be to message them. Not to mention, those messages in Facebook get lost in the "Others" section where I've heard countless stories of people discovering important messages months later.
This with Instapaper could be a cool combination to create a smooth reading flow while eliminating distractions and saving articles or stories for later.
I certainly don't disagree that going to a good school is valuable. My only statement is that it is not so important to place such a strong emphasis on the name blindly. It helps in many ways and their programs are generally known for something but I wouldn't discount the late-bloomer, super motivated kid who went to a no name school and worked his ass off to get to where he wanted to go. I would just take it in context. That's all.
I would build something with them if you can. Use the display or connect the iphone via usb after "jailbreaking" it. I'm sure the wonderful people here can offer a multitude of suggestions.
I think trying to convince you that where you to go school isn't as big of a deal as you might think it is may be fruitless. Harvard is great nonetheless. First and foremost you still have a shot of getting in, in April or whenever you find out. Second and most importantly, examine why you really want to go to school. Do you want to meet new people, study/experience academics, be independent, or any linear combination thereof? If you want to school, I think for more than just the name and the fact that it's the next step, finish your applications. It can't hurt and you don't have to go if you don't want to. BUT if you are feeling a lack of motivation because you're tired of school, the rigid structure, or whatever it is, then don't feel like you have to step in line. Many people, brilliant and not brilliant, have taken time off between high school and college. I certainly wish I did. Whether this is the right move or not is certainly particular to you and what you choose to do with your time off. You can do great and wonderful things that school could never offer but you have to be self-motivated. Good luck.
One example does not warrant a generalization like this. I'm assuming you see a lot of Indians neglecting usability- do you mind providing me with some other examples? Counter examples include: Naveen from Foursquare, Sachin Agarwal of Posterous.
I think it was probably a little bit of both. Smart guys but the announcement says that they'll continue to keep working on BufferBox. So I believe it's Google's attempt to compete with Amazon Lockers as well.
I had a chance to work with Carl Haber while at Berkeley. He is brilliant and recovering these recordings is not as trivial as one might think. Kudos to him and team for this achievement.