Some people get excited by F1 racing, the Bugatti Veyron, or stuff like the latest iPhone, telling you they are technology enthusiasts or engineering fans.
But if you ask me, it's always at the low end of things - like this project - where the really inventive, exciting engineering happening.
Sure, something like an F1 car is impressive after a fashion, but considering the price, yeah, well, it better knock my damn socks off or it just looks stupid. Unlimited budgets do not make for impressive engineering, really.
Making something that is truly, spectacularly useful like this for $5 ot $10? That is genuinely impressive.
> it's always at the low end of things - like this project - where the really inventive, exciting engineering happening.
That's why I got into the demoscene. While I'll drool over the crazy new demos pushing the latest GPUs to the limits, it's always more impressive to me when people take extremely limited systems and file sizes and do incredible things with them.
You're just paying attention to different constraints. Engineering with zero constraints is pointless- but an F1 car operates within all kinds of constraints that are not money. You just aren't familiar with them.
You might think it is "truly spectacular" because it is unique to you. But you have to question yourself if it is really THAT effective. One could buy a hand cranked powered led light for cheaper. Sure, it'll take more time to power it. (Few seconds vs a minute). If i could afford neither i would go for the second option.
"To define it rudely but not inaptly, engineering is the art of doing that well with one dollar which any bungler can do with two after a fashion."
-- Arthur M. Wellington
My favorite way of expressing the same thing: "Anyone can design a bridge that will stand up. It takes an engineer to design a bridge that will barely stand up."
Not sure where this came from -- Douglas Adams, maybe?
indeed! having lived in india, i get particularly excited by projects that could provide grid-free lighting and clean water to rural areas.
also, a quick plug for my blog [http://aleverlongenough.wordpress.com/] rounding up projects like this - it was unfortunately short-lived because life got busy, but i hope to restart it in 2013.
yes, in the long term i agree, but extending the grid's reach and capacity happens slowly, and in the mean time the poor lead miserable lives. these low-tech stopgap measures are things they can do now to improve their lot, for little up-front cost (in business terms, the grid has lower opex, but way higher capex)
But if you ask me, it's always at the low end of things - like this project - where the really inventive, exciting engineering happening.
Sure, something like an F1 car is impressive after a fashion, but considering the price, yeah, well, it better knock my damn socks off or it just looks stupid. Unlimited budgets do not make for impressive engineering, really.
Making something that is truly, spectacularly useful like this for $5 ot $10? That is genuinely impressive.