Thread

1. gorgoiler · 1790191708 · focus · HN ↗

   Presumably when World War 3 kicks off the very first thing each adversary will do is knock out their opponents satellites? These are like flying lightbulbs that shine down usefulness from above, so step one is to cut the lights.

   Presumably-squared there is some kind of military backup to survive once the lights (GPS) go dark? Whatever that technology is, why hasn’t it proliferated into civilian life so that we all benefit from a resilient, non-GPS backup?

   Perhaps the answer is that every tank has a 10lb inertial navigation gyro or some other thingy in it as a backup, and the platoon around it uses the tank as a moving trig point? In that case I can see it being infeasible to deploy that for civilians.

   Perhaps-squared it’s just economics — GPS is cool and cheap now, so why burn profit margin on developing an alternative?

   1. louthy · 1790192820 · focus · HN ↗

      I’m sure we’ll go back to beacons [1] here in the UK

      ”Using fire to signify a message is thousands of years old. The earliest use of beacons in the UK dates back to the medieval period, primarily as a means of communication to warn of impending invasions or other dangers. Positioned on hilltops and along coastlines, these beacons were part of an early warning system signalling the presence of a threat, such as an approaching enemy fleet.

      One of the most famous early examples is the network of beacons used during the Spanish Armada in 1588. As around 150 Spanish battleships approached, beacons were lit along the southern coast of England, from Cornwall to London. As a result of this rudimentary but effective system Lord Francis Drake had the time to mobilise the country’s defences and defeat the Spanish fleet before they were able to reach the English shore.”

      [1] <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.paintersforstal.co.uk&#x2F;news&#x2F;the-history-of-beacon-lighting" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.paintersforstal.co.uk&#x2F;news&#x2F;the-history-of-beacon...

      1. dmoy · 1790195570 · focus · HN ↗

         150 battleships?

         Pretty sure the Spanish Armada was &lt;150 total ships, of which only a small subset would be the big galleon things. (And then my knowledge hits a wall, idk what the difference between a galleon and ship-of-the-line&#x2F;battleship is)

         I&#x27;m not sure how much to trust the rest of that website.

         1. louthy · 1790196431 · focus · HN ↗

            I think it was around 130, but yeah, perhaps a better source was needed. The beacons were real though!
      2. FridayoLeary · 1790196149 · focus · HN ↗

         I think you mean Sir Francis Drake.

         1. louthy · 1790196264 · focus · HN ↗

            They’re not my words, but yes, you are correct.

Unofficial Hacker News client; not affiliated with Y Combinator.