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The USA's DARPA program funded important research into - The internet - GPS - Graphical user interface and mouse - Onion routing - Voice assistant Hopeful

The USA's DARPA program funded important research into - The internet - GPS - Graphical user interface and mouse - Onion routing - Voice assistant Hopefully this program executes well. There is clearly a big social payoff to betting big on credible people doing risky research with high potential impact. https://www.itpro.co.uk/technology/34730/10-amazing-darpa-inventions https://www.itpro.co.uk/technology/34730/10-amazing-darpa-in...

madaxe_again 6y ago
That’s nice, but this isn’t what this will be about. This will be a means of funnelling cash to party donors without oversight, nothing more. Hence the FOI exception. I mean, just look at how they’ve fared in the last 18 months alone - how many unaccountable tens of billions did they pay out to their donors? I had Tory ministers’ children approaching me about putting together business plans to help them get covid grants - same crowd who I used to help with R&D grants, which were also used to get high net worth individuals with money of dubious origin into the country. I anticipate I’ll be hearing from them again. This kind of funding will not develop anything but the wealth divide.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
- afandian 6y ago
  Anyone who doubts the veracity of the claims of Tory corruption, here and throughout the thread, please check out the Good Law project and the litigation currently in UK courts. https://goodlawproject.org/news/ https://goodlawproject.org/news/
- grey-area 6y ago
  For those doubting the above, here is an example from the recent past of corruption from the Prime Minister, paying his lover with public funds: https://metro.co.uk/2019/10/31/10000-grant-given-boris-johnsons-friend-jennifer-arcuri-appropriate-11020662/ https://metro.co.uk/2019/10/31/10000-grant-given-boris-johns...
  - dalbasal 6y ago
    The problem with this line of argument is that it applies to anything and everything done under the current conservative banner. IE, Torrie/Boris corruption is the only topic. Whether it's a British DARPA, new sewage plant, or change to the tax code, the only thing to say is "They're corrupt. This is just another pilfering." I'm sympathetic to the focus on corruption. Corruption is bad. That said, I don't think the UK is at the point where everything is just corruption and nothing more. There is room to talk about things other than corruption too. Besides, this particular flavour of corruption is almost always present. Whether it's the VC's boyfriend, bank manager's mistress or political boys clubs. Insiders get insider access. I don't like it either, but where/when is this not the case? It's not a coincidence that so many of your (or american) parliamentarians went to school together? I am sure knowing people at DARPA, being married to a general or whatever is a big help too. Americans are worse than you guys on these fronts, and they're not the worst either.
    - lordnacho 6y ago
      It's a good point, Labour did a bunch of PPI deals that didn't seem to benefit the public as much as the private collaborators. So it's not exclusive to one party, but the Conversatives have been in power for a fairly long time now. Long term we need transparency from whoever is in charge.
      - dalbasal 6y ago
        Sure, corruption and insiderism is an important topic in its own right. Up and down this thread though, it seems that British HNers are insisting that it's the only topic. IE, they're against this agency (and presumably everything else that spends money in any way) because corruption. Is this true for roads? No new schools, parks or research agencies until corruption is gone? It seems over the top to me. The "Boris' girlfriend gets a £100k grant" storyline is salacious, but I don't think it's unusual. Insiderism exists. It existed yesterday, last year. I'm sure Winston Churchill's girlfriend also did well out of the deal. c'est la vie I'm definitely interested in ideas about insiderism, any solutions to it... but are you really at a point where you're against everything that the government does on the assumption that it's all going to Boris' girlfriends?
- kanjus 6y ago
  Thanks for talking about this. I'm sure you've considered this already, but it'd be valuable to contact an anti-corruption charity like Transparency International about your experience. It'd probably be a drop in the ocean, but every witness report counts, even about widely known issues.
dalbasal 6y ago
DARPA gets used as an example a lot, so let's take it as a our type specimen. What makes an (D)ARPA? What (besides funding) made it work? Is secrecy and/or low accountability important? Defense/weapons focus? Was the cold war a necessary condition? Do they have an investment philosophy that could be copied? Managerial philosophy? Is high level stuff even relevant or is it details like 5 year PM appointments and selection criteria? I always thought tenure-like jobs would be useful if you have high creativity/risk goals. Thoughts? Any agencies (outside the US, also) that should also be considered shining example? Any failed attempts at creating a DARPA?
- SllX 6y ago
  A focus. DARPA research is performed in response to real challenges that service members and officers are faced with, and also in response to new capabilities that our adversaries develop.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
- jasonwatkinspdx 6y ago
  Likely more than you ever wanted to know on the topic: https://benjaminreinhardt.com/wddw https://benjaminreinhardt.com/wddw A couple things I'd pull out: Program managers sit limited terms to prevent empire building Program managers have a great deal of autonomy once funding is initially allocated DARPA has a high appetite for risk. They're ok with 90% of projects failing to hit their goal.
  - disgruntledphd2 6y ago
    From your link: > I would rather this be read by a few people motivated to take action than by a broad audience who will find it merely interesting. In that vein, if you find yourself wanting to share this on Twitter or Hacker News, consider instead sharing it with one or two friends who will take action on it. Thank you for indulging me! You maybe shouldn't have shared that here, but thanks!
- godelski 6y ago
pkaye 6y ago
Also self driving cars, VLSI, FinFETs.

madaxe_again 6y ago

That’s nice, but this isn’t what this will be about. This will be a means of funnelling cash to party donors without oversight, nothing more. Hence the FOI exception. I mean, just look at how they’ve fared in the last 18 months alone - how many unaccountable tens of billions did they pay out to their donors? I had Tory ministers’ children approaching me about putting together business plans to help them get covid grants - same crowd who I used to help with R&D grants, which were also used to get high net worth individuals with money of dubious origin into the country. I anticipate I’ll be hearing from them again. This kind of funding will not develop anything but the wealth divide.

deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
afandian 6y ago
Anyone who doubts the veracity of the claims of Tory corruption, here and throughout the thread, please check out the Good Law project and the litigation currently in UK courts. https://goodlawproject.org/news/ https://goodlawproject.org/news/
grey-area 6y ago
For those doubting the above, here is an example from the recent past of corruption from the Prime Minister, paying his lover with public funds: https://metro.co.uk/2019/10/31/10000-grant-given-boris-johnsons-friend-jennifer-arcuri-appropriate-11020662/ https://metro.co.uk/2019/10/31/10000-grant-given-boris-johns...
- dalbasal 6y ago
  The problem with this line of argument is that it applies to anything and everything done under the current conservative banner. IE, Torrie/Boris corruption is the only topic. Whether it's a British DARPA, new sewage plant, or change to the tax code, the only thing to say is "They're corrupt. This is just another pilfering." I'm sympathetic to the focus on corruption. Corruption is bad. That said, I don't think the UK is at the point where everything is just corruption and nothing more. There is room to talk about things other than corruption too. Besides, this particular flavour of corruption is almost always present. Whether it's the VC's boyfriend, bank manager's mistress or political boys clubs. Insiders get insider access. I don't like it either, but where/when is this not the case? It's not a coincidence that so many of your (or american) parliamentarians went to school together? I am sure knowing people at DARPA, being married to a general or whatever is a big help too. Americans are worse than you guys on these fronts, and they're not the worst either.
  - lordnacho 6y ago
    It's a good point, Labour did a bunch of PPI deals that didn't seem to benefit the public as much as the private collaborators. So it's not exclusive to one party, but the Conversatives have been in power for a fairly long time now. Long term we need transparency from whoever is in charge.
    - dalbasal 6y ago
      Sure, corruption and insiderism is an important topic in its own right. Up and down this thread though, it seems that British HNers are insisting that it's the only topic. IE, they're against this agency (and presumably everything else that spends money in any way) because corruption. Is this true for roads? No new schools, parks or research agencies until corruption is gone? It seems over the top to me. The "Boris' girlfriend gets a £100k grant" storyline is salacious, but I don't think it's unusual. Insiderism exists. It existed yesterday, last year. I'm sure Winston Churchill's girlfriend also did well out of the deal. c'est la vie I'm definitely interested in ideas about insiderism, any solutions to it... but are you really at a point where you're against everything that the government does on the assumption that it's all going to Boris' girlfriends?
kanjus 6y ago
Thanks for talking about this. I'm sure you've considered this already, but it'd be valuable to contact an anti-corruption charity like Transparency International about your experience. It'd probably be a drop in the ocean, but every witness report counts, even about widely known issues.

dalbasal 6y ago

DARPA gets used as an example a lot, so let's take it as a our type specimen. What makes an (D)ARPA? What (besides funding) made it work? Is secrecy and/or low accountability important? Defense/weapons focus? Was the cold war a necessary condition? Do they have an investment philosophy that could be copied? Managerial philosophy? Is high level stuff even relevant or is it details like 5 year PM appointments and selection criteria? I always thought tenure-like jobs would be useful if you have high creativity/risk goals. Thoughts? Any agencies (outside the US, also) that should also be considered shining example? Any failed attempts at creating a DARPA?

SllX 6y ago
A focus. DARPA research is performed in response to real challenges that service members and officers are faced with, and also in response to new capabilities that our adversaries develop.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
jasonwatkinspdx 6y ago
Likely more than you ever wanted to know on the topic: https://benjaminreinhardt.com/wddw https://benjaminreinhardt.com/wddw A couple things I'd pull out: Program managers sit limited terms to prevent empire building Program managers have a great deal of autonomy once funding is initially allocated DARPA has a high appetite for risk. They're ok with 90% of projects failing to hit their goal.
- disgruntledphd2 6y ago
  From your link: > I would rather this be read by a few people motivated to take action than by a broad audience who will find it merely interesting. In that vein, if you find yourself wanting to share this on Twitter or Hacker News, consider instead sharing it with one or two friends who will take action on it. Thank you for indulging me! You maybe shouldn't have shared that here, but thanks!
godelski 6y ago

pkaye 6y ago

Also self driving cars, VLSI, FinFETs.