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Microsoft wins $21.9B contract with U.S. Army to supply AR headsets

reuters.com

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Re: Microsoft wins $21.9B contract with U.S. Army to supply AR headsets

#131

Post by trentnix »

savanaly wrote: post #104
trentnix wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf. - commonly attributed to Orwell

...But only because there are other rough men ready to violence against them. What was proposed was getting rid of rough men willing to do violence, not rough men willing to do violence on our side only.

What was proposed was wealth distribution. Wealth distribution necessarily requires taking from one person and giving their wealth to others. If history is any indicator, this can only be accomplished through the threats or administration of violence.

How much violence is necessary to create your violence-free utopia?

Re: Microsoft wins $21.9B contract with U.S. Army to supply AR headsets

#132

Post by hutzlibu »

InitialLastName wrote: post #119
hutzlibu wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

" Stop the cycle of war and poverty, and then see how naturally malevolent people are." So far it is only a hypothesis, that war can be avoided if people just would not starve anymore. (I don't think there was really hunger in europe pre WW1 for example) Also, assuming we would distribute ressources equally (nevermind the political means to achieve that for a moment): It no doubt would be enough for everyone today. B…

> (I don't think there was really hunger in europe pre WW1 for example) IIRC gaining and ensuring continued access to food production centers in central Europe was one of Germany's primary motivating factors leading into WWI.

I learned it a bit different, but in either case - you don't have to starve if you can buy food. And the market was working in europe.

So it was more about hunger for power. Because sure, owning something is better than having to buy something.

Re: Microsoft wins $21.9B contract with U.S. Army to supply AR headsets

#133

Post by FlyMoreRockets »

hutzlibu wrote: post #91
blunte wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I believe that many malevolent people, or at least their followers, would be much less malevolent or active if they had their basic needs met plus a little bit of cushion to enjoy life. To be more specific, many of the worst people have lived through some truly horrible childhoods (often experiencing war and poverty as a child). Stop the cycle of war and poverty, and then see how naturally malevolent people are. We h…

" Stop the cycle of war and poverty, and then see how naturally malevolent people are." So far it is only a hypothesis, that war can be avoided if people just would not starve anymore. (I don't think there was really hunger in europe pre WW1 for example) Also, assuming we would distribute ressources equally (nevermind the political means to achieve that for a moment): It no doubt would be enough for everyone today. B…

> But the world population is already going steeply up - with people starving.

True, but the growth rate is on a steady decline and looks like it will be negative soon. https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/#growthrate

Re: Microsoft wins $21.9B contract with U.S. Army to supply AR headsets

#134

Post by MichaelMcG »

remarkEon wrote: post #49
anon_tor_12345 wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a very obvious analogy here that proves you wrong: nvgs

His take is a little cyclical, but it's not wrong necessarily. For every set of PVS-14s there were 3 or 4 little pieces of "tech" that were utterly useless.

Not just useless, but a major PITA when the next inventory rolls around and you have to find the individual sub-components of that "tech" when no one has any idea of what it looks like because it's never been used and ultimately serves no purpose.

Then if it somehow falls through the cracks, it's on the commanders shoulders to pay for that piece of high-speed unused tech that the lobbyist swore would revolutionize the battle-space.

Re: Microsoft wins $21.9B contract with U.S. Army to supply AR headsets

#135

Post by wcarss »

hutzlibu wrote: post #97
datavirtue wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"I imagine what the possibilities would be if we funded general non-military projects with the kind of money that goes into the military." Amen. China is. They are building a new silk road that they will control. What's our answer? A bomb?

So china does not have a big military budget, too?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_military_...

4x as many people, roughly 1/3rd of the budget.

Re: Microsoft wins $21.9B contract with U.S. Army to supply AR headsets

#136

Post by void_mint »

high_priest wrote: post #31
blunte wrote: post #18

I don't look like a hippie, but I totally subscribe to the idea of "make love, not war". I imagine what the possibilities would be if we funded general non-military projects with the kind of money that goes into the military. Trillions have been spent on wars or war preparation, and of course the net result is worsening for humanity. What if instead that money were spend on helping humanity? Do we really need a confl…

Life is one big war. Just because you live in a pleasant neighbourhood, doesn't mean there are no malevolent people in the world...

> Just because you live in a pleasant neighbourhood, doesn't mean there are no malevolent people in the world...

is so extremely far from

> Life is one big war.

It's an interesting idea to see them in the same post.

"Bad people exist; better prepare for all of humanity to be bad"

Re: Microsoft wins $21.9B contract with U.S. Army to supply AR headsets

#137

Post by wavefunction »

trentnix wrote: post #94
blunte wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I believe that many malevolent people, or at least their followers, would be much less malevolent or active if they had their basic needs met plus a little bit of cushion to enjoy life. To be more specific, many of the worst people have lived through some truly horrible childhoods (often experiencing war and poverty as a child). Stop the cycle of war and poverty, and then see how naturally malevolent people are. We h…

> We have the productivity to afford that; we just have chosen to consolidate it to a relative few. And absent the threat of violent force, how do you suppose we take that productivity from this relative few? My government threatens me with penalties and imprisonment if I don't give up my "fair share" via various taxes. And if I resist that, they use weapons to force me to comply. Are you not just trading one definit…

I can't speak for your country but at least in the US the government is "We the People" or at least those of us interested enough to get involved whether by voting or running for office. If my democratic society has decided through an open and fair democratic process to require certain levels of taxation then it's my responsibility to society to meet those regulations. If I disagree with what has been collectively decided then my recourse is to convince enough of my fellow citizens to change the regulations. I don't see how that has anything to do with war. It seems like a very hyperbolic claim to make to me.

Re: Microsoft wins $21.9B contract with U.S. Army to supply AR headsets

#138

Post by 2OEH8eoCRo0 »

mrkstu wrote: post #5

And here, ladies and gents, is why companies like Microsoft, will eternally resist getting aligned with internal employee groups Resisting selling to government entities, whether ICE or the Army. There is way too much money to be lost.

And this is why people like me will take their place.

Re: Microsoft wins $21.9B contract with U.S. Army to supply AR headsets

#139

Post by quickthrowman »

colordrops wrote: post #88

Considering that there are around 150 million taxpayers in the US, this is around $150 a taxpayer. That's CRAZY.

Nobody tell this guy about the F35! At $1.7 trillion lifetime project cost, each of the 150 million taxpayers kick in $11,333.00 for one fighter plane platform

Re: Microsoft wins $21.9B contract with U.S. Army to supply AR headsets

#140

Post by missedthecue »

spaced-out wrote: post #116
harikb wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When we say "military spending", much of it is not actually spent on wasted resources - it is sort of welfare for the military industrial complex and its dependent people. It is just like social security, medicare etc, some amount is earmarked for a different group. What we shouldn't assume is that "not spending on military" automatically implies spending on stuff that is actually good for the country.

> When we say "military spending", much of it is not actually spent on wasted resources - it is sort of welfare for the military industrial complex and its dependent people. And what if instead of paying those people to develop weapons, we paid them to develop tech and infrastructure that would provide utility to every day people?

I don't think he's talking about Raytheon engineers. ~50% of the military budget is literally just compensation and personnel costs for the enlistees.
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