Text 10800, 95 rader
Skriven 2010-09-28 18:43:32 av Robert Bashe (2:2448/44)
     Kommentar till en text av Michiel van der Vlist (2:280/5555)
Ärende: If wishes were horses... 
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Michiel van der Vlist wrote to Robert Bashe on Tuesday September 28 2010 at
15:49:

WD>>> A number of the satellites are already in position.

RB>> Like "two" or "three"? Lotsa talk but not much action up to now.

MV> There has been some delay. For a variety of reasons.

The main one being _money_.

MV> The problems have been solved though.

So who pays? ;-)))

MV> There is no doubt in my mind that the system will become operational
MV> in the not too distant future.

Yeah, the old "real soon now". I'm a good deal more skeptical, but time will
tell. I still can't see the EU countries putting up several billion Euro each
to set up the system at this point in time. They have plenty of things closer
to home that are crying for cash.

RB>>>> And just to remind you: all the personal navigation devices around
RB>>>> only work with GPS. Like to imagine what it would cost to replace
RB>>>> all of them?

WD>>> Not my problem ... I only need to replace 1.

RB>> Now all you need is a few ten or hundred million others who would be
RB>> willing to do that

MV> Of course they will.

Is that why NTFS lasted so long in the States? I think you underestimate the
inertia of an established base.

And of course, there's still the question of money. Even assuming the EU
countries put up billions of Euro to pay for and maintain the system, they're
going to want something back. Fees for using it? Might well be. And then
there's the question of _why_ someone would use a new and untried system (even
assuming it costs nothing for the use) rather than a system that has been in
use, and has been stable, for many years.

Which gets us back to the big WHY anyone would throw away their old PND and buy
a new one that's incompatible with GPS. There would have to be more of an
advantage than mere European nationalism.

MV> The Gallileo system will offer more than just being European. Much
MV> better resolution for one. Also usable at higher lattitudes.

Better resolution than a couple of feet or a yard? May interest some people,
but except for a PND for pedestrians or maybe bicycle riders, I can't think of
any real need. And what are "higher latitudes"? And how many people live and
work there? We're not talking about the bulk of the population there.

RB>> (which is presently and in the forseeable future inoperable) instead
RB>> of using a working GPS system like everybody else.

MV> Working until the US military decides to switch it off. Or reduce the
MV> resolution again. The NAVSTAR system - unlike the internet - CAN be
MV> shut down or crippled by the US government. And we do not trust them
MV> enough to not do that when it suits their agenda. Not any more.

Which interests you, might interest some of us in fido, but doesn't interest
the general population any more than the intrusive "security" measures being
introduced everywhere nowaday. Starting in November, we're going to get new
personal IDs with RFID chips in Germany - the passports already have
fingerprints and mugshots stored on a RFID chip. Now, how many mass
demonstrations do you think that caused in Germany? Try "none". The only people
getting excited about this are people like you and me.

RB>> The PND manufacturers aren't likely to build a new model just for you
RB>> alone.

MV> The PND manufactures probably already have advanced prototypes that
MV> can handle both NAVSTAR and Gallileo. (At least the European PND
MV> manufacturers). Don't worry, they will be ready.

Like I already wrote Ward, I wish I had your optimism.

RB>> When and if the Europeans have their system operable, and _if_ it
RB>> offers any advantages over the GPS system except for nationalist
RB>> ideology,

MV> Do not underestimate that either. I think you have no idea what damage
MV> was done in the last decade.

I think I have a pretty good idea of what interests the man on the street - and
it unfortunately isn't the same thing that interests people like you and me.

Cheers, Bob

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