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Google Launches Sidewalk Labs

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Re: Google Launches Sidewalk Labs

#101

Post by nulltype »

MagicWishMonkey wrote: post #32
nulltype wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That sounds a lot more appealing to me than the government actually building the thing. With the EM spectrum for instance, the unlicensed 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands have been pretty useful. Google actually tried to get the 700 MHz spectrum (in the 2008 auction) licensed in a way that would probably benefit consumers quite a bit, though I'm not sure how well that worked. It's odd that Google had to do that when it's ostens…

Well that is how our existing broadband infrastructure was brought into existence. The big cable companies were given billions in subsidies for expanding their high speed networks. It worked well except for the fact that they were allowed to form monopolies/oligopolies after expanding into new markets.

Yeah, I find it weird that nobody else can use those cable networks, unlike the phone lines, or build their own. Perhaps those subsidies should have included more strings. Or maybe it should be easy to run cables.

Re: Google Launches Sidewalk Labs

#102

Post by thaumasiotes »

jacobolus wrote: post #96
avar wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hasn't this already been invented? With the problem being that most westerners don't like the solution because it looks unfamiliar: * You install a squat toilet * It's cleaned by flooding the entire toilet area with water, which once turned off all washes down into the toilet * No toilet paper, you clean yourself with water

The biggest problem is not even that it looks unfamiliar, but that the majority of “westerners” have insufficient ankle flexibility to squat, due to a lifetime of sitting in chairs and no experience squatting. You might be able to build a squat toilet where the feet rested on a ramp (i.e. raised at the heel side), though I suspect most Americans would still refuse to use it.

You don't need a ramp to squat on tiptoe. I squat with my feet flat on the ground, but I have been told that doing that is hard for most (US) people. Still, Americans do squat. They just don't do it with flat feet.

Re: Google Launches Sidewalk Labs

#103

Post by Sir_Substance »

w-m wrote: post #98
Animats wrote: post #63

Someone needs to develop a public toilet that's self-cleaning but doesn't cost more than some houses. The problem is making it homeless and drug dealer proof. SF has had major problems with their self-cleaning toilets.[1] Portland succeeded, but theirs is armored to contain a velociraptor and provides limited privacy.[2] [1] http://www.sfweekly.com/sanfrancisco/occupied-san-francisco-... [2] http://www.citylab.com/de…

Paris has over 400 of these: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanisette They're free to use, not drug dealer proof, and close at night. I'd say they work well, but they're rather ugly.

The biggest culture shock of visiting the UK was paying to use toilets. Do you want people pissing against walls? Because that's how you get people pissing against walls.

Re: Google Launches Sidewalk Labs

#104

Post by mrkipling »

Sir_Substance wrote: post #103
w-m wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Paris has over 400 of these: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanisette They're free to use, not drug dealer proof, and close at night. I'd say they work well, but they're rather ugly.

The biggest culture shock of visiting the UK was paying to use toilets. Do you want people pissing against walls? Because that's how you get people pissing against walls.

Yeah, it's pretty lame. I've been reduced to carrying a coin purse (!) in my day-to-day/commute backpack containing just 20p and 10p pieces so that I'm always able to use a public toilet if I need to. Nothing worse than really needing to go but not having any change on you.

Re: Google Launches Sidewalk Labs

#105

Post by jarek »

gull wrote: post #69

From http://www.sidewalkinc.com/ : "By 2050, the population in cities will double" Is the best solution a frontal attack? Or could it be moving away from existing cities? Could one design a new city from scratch?

> Could one design a new city from scratch?

Yes, but the result is Milton Keynes.

Re: Google Launches Sidewalk Labs

#106

Post by vlasev »

thaumasiotes wrote: post #102
jacobolus wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The biggest problem is not even that it looks unfamiliar, but that the majority of “westerners” have insufficient ankle flexibility to squat, due to a lifetime of sitting in chairs and no experience squatting. You might be able to build a squat toilet where the feet rested on a ramp (i.e. raised at the heel side), though I suspect most Americans would still refuse to use it.

You don't need a ramp to squat on tiptoe. I squat with my feet flat on the ground, but I have been told that doing that is hard for most (US) people. Still, Americans do squat. They just don't do it with flat feet.

Have you actually tried pooping while on tiptoes??

Re: Google Launches Sidewalk Labs

#107

Post by pierre »

Animats wrote: post #63

Someone needs to develop a public toilet that's self-cleaning but doesn't cost more than some houses. The problem is making it homeless and drug dealer proof. SF has had major problems with their self-cleaning toilets.[1] Portland succeeded, but theirs is armored to contain a velociraptor and provides limited privacy.[2] [1] http://www.sfweekly.com/sanfrancisco/occupied-san-francisco-... [2] http://www.citylab.com/de…

Lausanne have transparent self cleaning toilets that are drug dealer / homeless proof :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WL2ZnE1vAU

Re: Google Launches Sidewalk Labs

#108

Post by vlasev »

mootothemax wrote: post #97
stephenr wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is "homeless proof"? If you have so many homeless people, maybe you should solve that problem first ?

If you have so many homeless people, maybe you should solve that problem first? Solving homelessness isn't an on/off switch; people are still going to need a toilet while homelessness is being "fixed". (It's a problem with saying why not solve X instead ? You end up with neither fixed, and everybody loses. I mean, why solve homelessness when there are hungry kids that need feeding ? And so the cycle continues.) As an…

I don't have sources at hand but it can actually be cheaper in the end to give homeless people homes than to keep them homeless. It's apparently mostly due to emergency police/hospital response which costs a ton.

Re: Google Launches Sidewalk Labs

#109

Post by pja »

Sir_Substance wrote: post #103
w-m wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Paris has over 400 of these: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanisette They're free to use, not drug dealer proof, and close at night. I'd say they work well, but they're rather ugly.

The biggest culture shock of visiting the UK was paying to use toilets. Do you want people pissing against walls? Because that's how you get people pissing against walls.

I think that’s a London thing rather than a UK thing.

Re: Google Launches Sidewalk Labs

#110

Post by vlasev »

chvid wrote: post #68

From their homepage: "By 2050, the population in cities will double, intensifying existing socioeconomic, public health and environmental problems." Yes. People move into a few big cities because companies companies like Google congregate there, ultimately creating problems such as skyrocketing rents, congestion, declining real living standards, homelessness. Google holds an obvious solution in its hand. By altering…

If you look at settlements from a scaling point of view you will inevitably find that not only are larger cities more efficient structures but they lead to an improved quality of life. This is not just because of "companies like Google". Here are some slides (http://www.complexcity.info/files/2011/12/BATTY-Scaling-Laws...) and a TED talk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyCY6mjWOPc).
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