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Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

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Re: Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

#181

Post by epolanski »

Ray20 wrote: post #157
varjag wrote: post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When USSR launched the world's first satellite into space, the enthusiasm was universal. Even among its peasants who at the time were paperless indentured servants.

>Even among its peasants No, it wasn't. This is Soviet propaganda, that existed only because people who expressed different opinions were killed. As far as I understand, the situation in Botswana is much better when it comes to expressing one's opinion. So I am interested in what they think about this issue.

I'm from the former communist block and let me tell you: you have no idea what are you talking about. Zero, none.

You seem to be regurgitating stereotypes.

Re: Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

#182

Post by epolanski »

echoangle wrote: post #2

Don’t want to belittle the achievement but they launched it as in „had it launched by the commercial launch provider SpaceX“, not on a self-developed rocket as it sounds like on the first read.

> Don’t want to belittle the achievement

You literally did.

> as it sounds like on the first read

That's your interpretation, the title literally says: "Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9 "

Re: Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

#183

Post by sofixa »

elric wrote: post #177
sofixa wrote: post #162

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Like what?

Not every bank supports it yet, and it's not always free. Some offer a limited number of free instant payments. One of my banks charged 1eur per instant payment up until recently. I understand the situation is improving, however.

> One of my banks charged 1eur per instant payment up until recently

Illegal since 1 January, which is why they stopped. Hence why I'm saying it's free.

As for not all banks supporting it, if I'm not mistaken it will be mandatory by the end of the year, and the majority already do.

Re: Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

#184

Post by hylaride »

AdamN wrote: post #164
elric wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The first system that worked? I have no idea what you're talking about. Whatever system US banks have, they weren't first, and it barely works. I mean Credit Cards are mostly an American invention, sure. But you've been lagging behind on chip&pin and contactleas payments for decades. Even something as simple as a secure bank transfer is a chore over there. I remember asking an American for their account number so I c…

That's what they were saying. America had the first credit cards and therefore had trouble moving to chip & pin partly because the existing system worked without it.

That makes no sense. The rest of the world also had the existing systems and moved on relatively quickly.

The issue is that the US banking system is highly fragmented, making universal change difficult. Most other countries have fewer, larger banks (which does introduce other problems that regulation has to be active with), but it means that they can gather together and agree on standards far quicker. Most other countries also have more active regulation pushing universal standards than the US historically did.

Re: Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

#185

Post by dmix »

epolanski wrote: post #182
echoangle wrote: post #2

Don’t want to belittle the achievement but they launched it as in „had it launched by the commercial launch provider SpaceX“, not on a self-developed rocket as it sounds like on the first read.

> Don’t want to belittle the achievement You literally did. > as it sounds like on the first read That's your interpretation, the title literally says: "Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9 "

Titles on HN often get updated

Re: Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

#186

Post by thinkingtoilet »

sokols wrote: post #135
scrappyjoe wrote: post #104

So many strong opinions here from commenters who aren’t actually from Botswana. Let me tell you how we actually feel about it here. We think it’s awesome! The establishment of a university of science and technology in Botswana has been a long hard road, and many mistakes have been made along the way. But the fact that Botswana now has the local skill to deploy a satellite and make use of the data it provides to infor…

Congratulations on the successful launch! > .. I’d listen to the Voice of America.. I grew up listening to VoA as a kid as well, I was born in a then not so developed part of the Balkans. Sometimes I have the feeling that the ordinary Americans don't have a clue about the impact VoA had in the countries like ours.

As an American, I literally have no idea what Voice of America is.

Re: Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

#187

Post by nottorp »

elric wrote: post #152
mbreese wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think of it as second mover advantage. The US basically has the first system that worked. And in terms of the expectations of the 1960s, it works really well. But, because it works “good enough” there is very little incentive to make it work better… or to the level of “better” in 21st century terms. And because we’ve lived with this system for so long, all of the fees and charges have largely been internalized, so…

The first system that worked? I have no idea what you're talking about. Whatever system US banks have, they weren't first, and it barely works. I mean Credit Cards are mostly an American invention, sure. But you've been lagging behind on chip&pin and contactleas payments for decades. Even something as simple as a secure bank transfer is a chore over there. I remember asking an American for their account number so I c…

> Your banks are robbing you, and no one seems to care.

Actually I think they do care. That's why they are still using paper checks, because those are processed for free :)

Re: Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

#188

Post by itishappy »

thinkingtoilet wrote: post #186
sokols wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Congratulations on the successful launch! > .. I’d listen to the Voice of America.. I grew up listening to VoA as a kid as well, I was born in a then not so developed part of the Balkans. Sometimes I have the feeling that the ordinary Americans don't have a clue about the impact VoA had in the countries like ours.

As an American, I literally have no idea what Voice of America is.

It's America's state-sponsored propaganda network. It wasn't even allowed to broadcast to Americans until last decade. Despite the label, it's been a pretty good source, though admittedly with a pro-US bias. Now it looks like it's been DOGEd.

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

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

Re: Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

#189

Post by bluGill »

thinkingtoilet wrote: post #186
sokols wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Congratulations on the successful launch! > .. I’d listen to the Voice of America.. I grew up listening to VoA as a kid as well, I was born in a then not so developed part of the Balkans. Sometimes I have the feeling that the ordinary Americans don't have a clue about the impact VoA had in the countries like ours.

As an American, I literally have no idea what Voice of America is.

It is americas foreign propoganda program. is was intentionally made hard for americans to listen to. That it was hard to get at meant the types of people who want to control government propoganda didn't care and so it turned out to be a reasonable source of low bias information.

Re: Botswana launches first satellite BOTSAT-1 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9

#190

Post by mosburger »

mrtksn wrote: post #122
scrappyjoe wrote: post #104

So many strong opinions here from commenters who aren’t actually from Botswana. Let me tell you how we actually feel about it here. We think it’s awesome! The establishment of a university of science and technology in Botswana has been a long hard road, and many mistakes have been made along the way. But the fact that Botswana now has the local skill to deploy a satellite and make use of the data it provides to infor…

Don't worry too much about negative opinions, there is usually a strong bias against non-US projects in the English speaking web. A common trick is to have an office in USA and make it hard to figure out where's your project actually based. There's usually some sympathy for the British and Israeli, then you get some envy for the Russian and Japanese based stuff if they are doing something authentic or feeds into the…

Until very recently I worked for an international remittances company. It's remarkable how far behind the U.S. is, and I always tell people the first countries to go (mostly) cashless with mobile wallets are in East Africa... e.g. Kenya had a ton of people using MPesa long before many European/North American/Asian countries had anything analogous.
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