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He really wanted to digitize all of them to provide reference and training data for early language models (well before LLMs, transformers, etc). He also had a

by dekhn 2y ago

He really wanted to digitize all of them to provide reference and training data for early language models (well before LLMs, transformers, etc). He also had a plan (with George Church) to build enormous warehouses holding large-scale biology research infrastructure right next to google data centers. Because most biology research is done at locations that have reached their limit on computational/storage capacity. Larry had many good ideas but he struggled to get the majority of them off the ground. For example, when Trump was president and invited all the major tech leaders, Larry came with a plan to upgrade the US electrical system with long-range DC.

shiroiushi 2y ago
>Larry came with a plan to upgrade the US electrical system with long-range DC. I feel like some crucial detail is missing here. They already use HVDC for long-distance transmission lines, inside and outside of the US. Texas could benefit from it I suppose, but the US in general already uses it where appropriate AFAIK.
pyrale 2y ago
> Larry had many good ideas but he struggled to get the majority of them off the ground. For example, when Trump was president and invited all the major tech leaders, Larry came with a plan to upgrade the US electrical system with long-range DC. I fail to see how that would be a good idea. To me, it looks like some magnate in a completely unrelated industry, who is megalomaniac enough to believe that they can enter a completely unrelated industry and explain to experts how things ought to get done.
- gosub100 2y ago
  He didn't originate the idea, it's well known that DC is more efficient but has other serious hurdles. It often takes innovative and influential people to break the status quo. E.g. Elon and EVs.
  - pyrale 2y ago
    > it's well known that DC is more efficient but has other serious hurdles. If it's well known but no one has done it, maybe there are reasons for it? Building long-distance lines is a very capital-intensive decision, and if the cost-benefit analysis was better, projects would be done. Looking by DOE's communication [1], we can see that the cost-benefit analysis doesn't look good now for a big network, but also that HVDC projects that actually make economic sense have been built for decades. Sure, sometimes innovative people make a big change, but what's the innovation there? [1]: https://www.energy.gov/oe/articles/connecting-country-hvdc https://www.energy.gov/oe/articles/connecting-country-hvdc
    - gosub100 2y ago
      There absolutely are HVDC transmission lines under the sea. And capital intensive, revolutionary projects are ripe for disruption from people who have already pulled off similar feats, hence why it would make sense for a Google founder to take interest.
      - pyrale 2y ago
        > There absolutely are HVDC transmission lines under the sea. Not sure where you see me claiming the opposite? > And capital intensive, revolutionary projects are ripe for disruption from people who have already pulled off similar feats If Larry Page is looking to waste a few billions in cables, he's absolutely welcome to do it. One HVDC connection between France and the UK is private, for instance [1]. If he believes there's money to be made similarly in the US, he should go for it. That's not exactly the same offer as "Larry page has suggested the government should invest in expensive infrastructure for an industry he's never worked in". [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ElecLink https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ElecLink
        gosub100 2y ago
        > Not sure where you see me claiming the opposite Hmm, maybe the part where you said "but no one has done it"? What is the point of this level of degeneracy in conversation?
- dekhn 2y ago
  His father was a computer scientist and his brother Carl is an electrical engineer; Carl has done extensive research in the area (and runs at least one company working on related problems) and Larry is highly educated about this stuff. He's not a megalomaniac- just completely unrealistic in how he pursues his goals.

by dekhn 2y ago

shiroiushi 2y ago

>Larry came with a plan to upgrade the US electrical system with long-range DC. I feel like some crucial detail is missing here. They already use HVDC for long-distance transmission lines, inside and outside of the US. Texas could benefit from it I suppose, but the US in general already uses it where appropriate AFAIK.

pyrale 2y ago

> Larry had many good ideas but he struggled to get the majority of them off the ground. For example, when Trump was president and invited all the major tech leaders, Larry came with a plan to upgrade the US electrical system with long-range DC. I fail to see how that would be a good idea. To me, it looks like some magnate in a completely unrelated industry, who is megalomaniac enough to believe that they can enter a completely unrelated industry and explain to experts how things ought to get done.

gosub100 2y ago
He didn't originate the idea, it's well known that DC is more efficient but has other serious hurdles. It often takes innovative and influential people to break the status quo. E.g. Elon and EVs.
- pyrale 2y ago
  > it's well known that DC is more efficient but has other serious hurdles. If it's well known but no one has done it, maybe there are reasons for it? Building long-distance lines is a very capital-intensive decision, and if the cost-benefit analysis was better, projects would be done. Looking by DOE's communication [1], we can see that the cost-benefit analysis doesn't look good now for a big network, but also that HVDC projects that actually make economic sense have been built for decades. Sure, sometimes innovative people make a big change, but what's the innovation there? [1]: https://www.energy.gov/oe/articles/connecting-country-hvdc https://www.energy.gov/oe/articles/connecting-country-hvdc
  - gosub100 2y ago
    There absolutely are HVDC transmission lines under the sea. And capital intensive, revolutionary projects are ripe for disruption from people who have already pulled off similar feats, hence why it would make sense for a Google founder to take interest.
    - pyrale 2y ago
      > There absolutely are HVDC transmission lines under the sea. Not sure where you see me claiming the opposite? > And capital intensive, revolutionary projects are ripe for disruption from people who have already pulled off similar feats If Larry Page is looking to waste a few billions in cables, he's absolutely welcome to do it. One HVDC connection between France and the UK is private, for instance [1]. If he believes there's money to be made similarly in the US, he should go for it. That's not exactly the same offer as "Larry page has suggested the government should invest in expensive infrastructure for an industry he's never worked in". [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ElecLink https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ElecLink
      - gosub100 2y ago
        > Not sure where you see me claiming the opposite Hmm, maybe the part where you said "but no one has done it"? What is the point of this level of degeneracy in conversation?
dekhn 2y ago
His father was a computer scientist and his brother Carl is an electrical engineer; Carl has done extensive research in the area (and runs at least one company working on related problems) and Larry is highly educated about this stuff. He's not a megalomaniac- just completely unrealistic in how he pursues his goals.