201–210 of 212 posts
The name is perfect. "Etak" refers to a system of navigation used by Micronesian and Polynesian seafarers to navigate from island to island in the vast Pacific Ocean. Much like this device, it operates by "augmented dead reckoning" (as it says in TFA). The etak system of navigation involves navigating by stars and ocean swells to get the heading, but a key issue when navigating by dead reckoning over long distances i…
The name is perfect. "Etak" refers to a system of navigation used by Micronesian and Polynesian seafarers to navigate from island to island in the vast Pacific Ocean. Much like this device, it operates by "augmented dead reckoning" (as it says in TFA). The etak system of navigation involves navigating by stars and ocean swells to get the heading, but a key issue when navigating by dead reckoning over long distances i…
What is TFA?
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Stretching the definition a little, satellite TV had been a thing for years by then. Neiman Marcus was selling satellite dishes in 1979.
Satellite TV, being unidirectional, can hardly be called communication.
How timely! I was watching a video about the ill fated Vector W8 supercar last night, and wondered about that awesome CRT proto-GPS thing seen in some shots. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFDBs15EYjs
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Stretching the definition a little, satellite TV had been a thing for years by then. Neiman Marcus was selling satellite dishes in 1979.
Satellite TV, being unidirectional, can hardly be called communication.
The name is perfect. "Etak" refers to a system of navigation used by Micronesian and Polynesian seafarers to navigate from island to island in the vast Pacific Ocean. Much like this device, it operates by "augmented dead reckoning" (as it says in TFA). The etak system of navigation involves navigating by stars and ocean swells to get the heading, but a key issue when navigating by dead reckoning over long distances i…
This sounds very romantic, but they were mostly at drift. Most very using rafts without any form of propulsion. "Navigation" across wast distances was one way road with no return ticket. They had to do it for overpopulation, not for some explorative spirit.
The system of navigation was recorded orally. People in living memory retained the knowledge. Anthropologists got it from them, built replica canoes, and then sailed around discovering that it worked. Captain Cook used Polynesian navigator who was well traveled.
Maybe the rafts are coming from Easter Island losing the technology and using rafts instead.
Somewhat off topic. What do big military submarines use these days to navigate? Do they have nav systems based on topographic data of the sea floor? (I dont know if it is mapped to the degree its possible). Could that be read accurately with only passiv sensors? I think you could read it perfectly with sonar whatever that may have evolved into these days. I guess they could reach depth where they can poke an extraord…
I guess they don't need to map the whole sea floor, just enough landmarks.
I have read, but I cannot verify that the South China Sea is filled with obstacles and trouble, some they alleged China has created by sinking ships / crates / Supposedly to make it more difficult to navigate by submarine.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
My comment wasn't really about Etak at all, I just thought you might have mixed up Jodorowsky's Dune with Lynch's! The Lynch one seemed like a better fit, although I think "set up an entire field for subsequent success" is a bit of a stretch for both of them.
The documentary “Jodorowsky’s Dune” presents a fairly strong argument that the “Dune bible” that was assembled for that movie and shopped around to production studios strongly influenced many of the great sci-fi films (or at least iconic scenes in them) in the years to follow. Specific examples from the documentary were Star Wars and Alien. The latter of which included Dan O’Bannon (screenwriter) and H.R. Giger (effe…
Edit to add: I’d still unquestionably put Star Wars as the one that “set up an entire field for success”. Not just because it was the one that shipped and was a massive hit, but because it synthesised many elements besides Dune. I’ll watch that documentary with an open mind though.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I guess they don't need to map the whole sea floor, just enough landmarks.
The more the better I would assume. I would guess some areas are boringly flat and easy, while other regions are full of obstacles and problems. I have read, but I cannot verify that the South China Sea is filled with obstacles and trouble, some they alleged China has created by sinking ships / crates / Supposedly to make it more difficult to navigate by submarine.