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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

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.

zem 14y ago
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/ 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.
- tjic 14y ago
  > i get particularly excited by projects that could provide grid-free lighting and clean water to rural areas. The best way to provide lighting and clean water is via the grid: power lines and water pipes.
  - zem 14y ago
    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)
daeken 14y ago
> 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.
ZeroGravitas 14y ago
"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
- CamperBob2 14y ago
  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?
sliverstorm 14y ago
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.
ErikHuisman 14y ago
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.

zem 14y ago

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/ 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.

tjic 14y ago
> i get particularly excited by projects that could provide grid-free lighting and clean water to rural areas. The best way to provide lighting and clean water is via the grid: power lines and water pipes.
- zem 14y ago
  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)

daeken 14y ago

> 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.

ZeroGravitas 14y ago

"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

CamperBob2 14y ago
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?

sliverstorm 14y ago

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.

ErikHuisman 14y ago

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.