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The Frameless Geodesic Dome I currently live in

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Re: The Frameless Geodesic Dome I currently live in

#101

Post by monkeynotes »

finnh wrote: post #76
gamegoblin wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While that is the origin of the word, to pretend it still only means that is pretty delusional. Words change meaning based on usage.

sure, I'm being pedantic. But, if it's called out as "the perfect word" I assume the OP would want to know (just like I welcomed the correction when I first learned it).

If we are going to be pedantic I will point out an accepted dictionary definition of 'decimate' is as follows:

> to destroy a great number or proportion of: The population was decimated by a plague.

If the acceptance criteria of for use as 'the perfect word' is that it matches as precisely as possible to its definition then I think the OP was on track.

I think it is interesting trivia that the origins of the word come from the violence of the Roman army, but to assert that is the only way the word is used in modern English is wrong. I blame Dan Carlin's Hardcore History podcast for the recent surge in smug people 'correcting' the use of this word.

Re: The Frameless Geodesic Dome I currently live in

#103

Post by wehadfun »

johnnyg wrote: post #20

Loved this post. I think my favorite part was "I have iterated on this idea a bit." where you post the fails. It can get discouraging looking at all the beautiful stuff posted and thinking it just sprang out of nothing. Clearly this is neat because you put a lot of work into making it so. Thanks for taking the time to write it up and share it.

My favorite line was "Housing is a major expense that is ripe for pruning."

Re: The Frameless Geodesic Dome I currently live in

#104

Post by sliverstorm »

I don't follow the opining for the "handcrafted" houses of yore, presumably ones that have been around for the aforementioned 5 generations. Have you lived in such houses? They are generally pretty crappy. Nothing is a standard size (making maintenance a nightmare), any and all building materials have started to break down, and the owners have almost always completely neglect updating the house. For example, replacing their old plate-glass single-pane windows.

Re: The Frameless Geodesic Dome I currently live in

#105

Post by netcan »

finnh wrote: post #54

If you want to live in a city, it's not the cost of the house that kills you: it's the dirt. In Seattle, where I live, my property tax statement tells me that my (large, nice) house is worth roughly half as much as the land it sits on. Given that these domes don't float, you still need a place to put 'em. If your goal is to opt out of the cost of housing - an evil which this blog post expounds upon at length - your f…

Being inexpensive is just part of what makes this cool, part of the simplicity. Another part is ease of building. It makes me want to participate. I really do feel like going out right now and tinkering.

This structure and the post about it is art.

Thank you for sharing.

Re: The Frameless Geodesic Dome I currently live in

#106

Post by tootie »

finnh wrote: post #54

If you want to live in a city, it's not the cost of the house that kills you: it's the dirt. In Seattle, where I live, my property tax statement tells me that my (large, nice) house is worth roughly half as much as the land it sits on. Given that these domes don't float, you still need a place to put 'em. If your goal is to opt out of the cost of housing - an evil which this blog post expounds upon at length - your f…

We also have a thing called apartment buildings. Hundreds of homes stacked vertically and centrally heated is still the efficiency champion.

Re: The Frameless Geodesic Dome I currently live in

#108

Post by cobrausn »

jjoe wrote: post #91
finnh wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually, "decimated" is not the perfect word for it. He's done much better than mere decimation! (Decimated means "reduced by 1/10th" ... not, as is popularly believed, "reduced to 1/10th")

It comes from latin or the french verb decimer. If you break it further it becomes cime, which means top (ex: as in top of a mountain). So you're essentially destroying that which is as high as a mountain top - not easily attainable.

I always thought it came from a Roman Army disciplinary practice.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimation_(Roman_army)

Re: The Frameless Geodesic Dome I currently live in

#109

Post by sillysaurus2 »

monkeynotes wrote: post #101
finnh wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

sure, I'm being pedantic. But, if it's called out as "the perfect word" I assume the OP would want to know (just like I welcomed the correction when I first learned it).

If we are going to be pedantic I will point out an accepted dictionary definition of 'decimate' is as follows: > to destroy a great number or proportion of: The population was decimated by a plague. If the acceptance criteria of for use as 'the perfect word' is that it matches as precisely as possible to its definition then I think the OP was on track. I think it is interesting trivia that the origins of the word com…

Such as "the value of this conversation has been decimated by pedants"?

Re: The Frameless Geodesic Dome I currently live in

#110

Post by yk »

finnh wrote: post #63
mattjaynes wrote: post #47

This is awesome. I especially love his focus on reducing the complex down to the very simple. He put a lot of work into simplifying the design and the payoff was huge - only 3 shapes make up the whole thing! From the article: "The three shapes we derived above amount to a remarkable simplification in fabrication and construction. We have decimated the complexity of the dome." "Decimated" is the perfect word for it. H…

Actually, "decimated" is not the perfect word for it. He's done much better than mere decimation! (Decimated means "reduced by 1/10th" ... not, as is popularly believed, "reduced to 1/10th")

While we are splitting hairs, it means execute one in ten (determined by fair dice roll).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimation_%28Roman_army%29

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