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sent from: fav.or.it [FID7844]
It'll be interesting to see if it's better than Google's already-available and works-on-all-machines telescope app.
But Robert, how does what you saw compare to Celestia?
http://www.shatters.net/celestia/
I think it's a different proposition, but I think it's pretty inspirational too.
Thanks.
Ron: Far better integration than Google's Sky View. A lot more telescopes. More inspiring. Hard to explain until I get to show you the video. Google's Sky View is pretty cool, too, though. The Microsoft Researchers found a better way to stitch together all the databases and display them than Google's team has.
When TechCrunch spilled the beans on WorldWide Telescope on February 18, my first thought was a "so what"? Again, this view is probably parochial, but I probably won't be leaving this galaxy in my lifetime, so I don't see how I can form a personal connection with a zoomed view of another galaxy.
Then again, I have not seen WorldWide Telescope yet. It may be possible that when I see it, I (like others that you have mentioned) will be transported to another dimension, musing on the vastness of the universe and (if I may say this) on the truly awesome nature of God's creation.
We'll see.
And, who knows, in a few years it might just be possible to go out into space as a tourist, or take a the last years of your life to go work on Mars (they won't send young people there due to the radiation dangers you'll face).
For an agency in need of a PR lift, this could certainly help generate some buzz - if they were to use this platform properly.
On that note, will Microsoft be enabling third party mash-ups within the platform? Will historians be able to insert historical information around wars fought based on information they read of the stars? Will users to be able to visit stars who's names they have purchased? Will brands be able to create mini-games, ARG campaigns and scavenger hunts by having users surf the skies for clues?
Or will this be relegated to a first time WOW factor we experienced with Google Earth only to see usage drop to a core enthusiast audience thereafter?
Well, I agree - it could still have been the most amazing thing at Microsoft you ever saw - they do nice thing very very rarely ;-)
But I told yah it wouldn't live up to the hype, you gotta stop being a blubbery emotional-roller-coaster. It's just a gee-whiz consumer tool, closed beta at that, not exactly on the level of finding a Dark Matter particle, there.
It oddly reminds me of the torture chamber in "Life the Universe and Everything". (Or was it "So long and Thanks for the Fish" ?
Mike: Google's Sky isn't nearly as well integrated and doesn't have as many telescopes.
Some things you need to see and experience to get.
Rahul is a lot more credible than you are.
I would expect this will get people more interested in astronomy and will lead some to spend big bucks on a motorized telescope, but most people live where they can't see the sky so such a purchase wouldn't make much sense.
Remember those old gag shop telescopes where the ring around eye piece was coated in black makeup... and you'd trick your friends to look into them and they'd come away looking like they had a black eye?
How about a telescope where the eye piece is coated in onion juice? You could trick your friends to look into them and they'd com away crying like an A-lister.
It is dazzling...find a way to see it, check it out and, and just marvel.
the land we are standing is burning, shaking, melting, oceans are getting angry and so on. So many things have higher priority…........but we are trying to catch stars. Priorities are disordered?
to microsoft, i want to check my emails in 5 seconds.....vista is loading loading and loadinggggg....fix this first then you show the heaven...anyways its an one time excitement.
its possible or this in future?
SNORES*
Ironically I went into the origi Post + even tho apparently it's not PhotoSynth it sounds Identical with Zooming + Panning + Multiple Cams*
Yeah it's c0ol + so are Colourized Hubble Images*
What a Supreme Disappointment*
Crying in my BEER!!
;PPP
Dovella: it's working. Not sure when it'll be released, though. I imagine that they need to get the servers ready for a pretty sizeable number of people who'll all want to try it out at once. Not an easy scalability problem to solve.
I can see why it has to be Windows only (lock-in) or Windows Vista only (Ultimate Extras perhaps) but... (insert imaginary rant of your choice) :-)
If it encourages kids to learn more about Physics and Astronomy or actually helps real researchers discover new things, or creates a massive enthusiast community dedicated to studying the night sky the way people go over google maps, or find us some UFOS ;-), now that would really be amazing.
Yes I understand the relationship with universe(We should explore(slowly) the footprints of bigbang), I read lot of astronomy books and exited lot. But you know at the end of the day, to proof small small things, we need huge investment. In my opinion, we should slow down. speed up the research and solve the well known local problems…somepart of the world doesn’t have food, water…that’s an another story.
(yes, this point has probably come up dozends of times in commentary, but i couldn't care less to read all those)
My astrophotography album:
http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/168994856LXB...
I am not a big Astronomy kind a guy... I always like the Google Earth style application because I am into ocean sports and it allowed me to have a bit of a poke around to find new surf breaks without actually driving around in a car.
... as I said I am not big on Astronomy and while this is sounds interesting I don't think it will change my world. I guess I'll have a look and form my own judgement.
Although, remind me again where there is a business model in this?
Aw, don't be so mean. It's always hard to describe how cool something is without even a picture, and from your description, it *does* sound like one of the good free astronomy programs but with more graphics.
P.S., I love how you sneak in pejorative words like "little" to describe mature, portable 100,000-line programs. But I won't call you "lame", even though you specifically asked for it. :-)
I'll just sit back and speculate about the tech they're using underneath, or just ask them next week...
A year ago nobody didn't care about this telescope, so Microsoft paid you to blog about this, right?
I want the same thing for a microscope. Zooming around in a cell, molecular perspectives, etc.
Although I haven't seen what Microsoft did, I can understand his reaction. I reacted in a similar way when I've been at Futuroscope (it's in France).(http://www.futuroscope.com/eng/attraction-cosmos.php)
The screen is a huge shpere taking you through a journey in cosmos. It's really really breathtaking.
Imagine experiencing what Microsoft did with a set of VR glasses and especially if what they did was in true 3D.
Watch the video, maybe it could set you in the mood to understand
http://www.futuroscope.com/eng/video.php?video=...
I find it a little odd that you have been dangling the "it made me cry!" mystery product/experience in front of people for some weeks, finally let everyone in on the "secret", and then criticise those who find it less than overwhelming, and tell you as much.
To say, "you don't know what you're talking about - you've got to wait and experience it" is a bizarre response; either don't write the "cry!" post in the first place and just show us the video when ready, or expect caustic comments on the way you overhype products. You cannot have your galaxy and eat it.
All that said, it looks nifty.
What a missed opportunity for Microsoft to show off their other great new technology.
BTW Robert, in my spare time (huh, what's that?) I'm an amateur astrophotographer, and you're welcome to join us in one of our Star Parties :-) Not quite a photowalk because well, rather than walking you've got to stay put :-) but might be a fun experiece for you as well :-) Just drop me a line if interested!
Of course it doesn't need a business model... however, they way you talked it up here in your blog and over on your QIK videos I expected something as big as the web itself.
Yeah I know it will look great but unless you are really into astronomy this will be no more than a brief "yeah nice" for most people. So unless there is no other application for the technology I don't know what the big fuzz is about.
Remember, it's about the content not the technology. There aren't a lot of people reading your blog because they like the blogging technology.
BTW, personally I thought QIK and the way you use it to deliver raw interviews is much more revolutionary than gazing at the stars Microsoft style...
QIK to me is like a News Reality TV style... sometimes it seems to be better to see the whole raw story rather then the sanitised version Fox News wants you to see... actually, you probably should watch Fox News in first place.
Thank you for letting everyone know about this.
This is the kind of technology that can change our future by educating our children.
It takes a visionary to recognize this and be moved by it.
Thanks for being one.
Not surprised by the "Windows only" option, because the cynicism centers in my brain had been whispering "MS=Win Only" at me from about 10 seconds in.
It does sound _Very_ impressive. Or at least all those kids looked pretty impressed. But, admittedly, all I can think is: "Microsoft-Wide Telescope" Rather than "World Wide Telescope".
And Fear: Sure, this isn't addressing earthquakes, drinking, dogs and cats living, Climactic change, or gingivitis, but it's a possible tool or inspiration for the next generation of people who will. And I would suggest to you that the people who are going to work on such things, already are, or are trying to, and those that aren't are not going to start because MS releases "Microsoft's World Wide Litter/Carbon Emissions/Drunk Driver Detector".
Ouch! As if anyone needed another example of the failure of basic science education in this country...
These are exciting times. Virtual reality and reality are merging.
By the way, there are virtual microscopes available.
Ever heard of Stellarium? Free and open source, detailed view of sky with full context and everything. Easy navigation, zoom, view from anywhere on earth or other planets, at any time... man... How could that make you cry? wuss
Glad to be of service. ;)
The BEST way to hype up something, is to let the product hype itself, as the "I am important, and you aren't" closed beta's won't do that, just creates resentment, and people will dismiss on emotional grounds themselves. Plus, this "demo" isn't even a real product. And, if it were a real product, for all but a small niche, it's just a nice gee-whiz thing with no applicational use whatsoever. Plus, it's from Microsoft, which as we all know, won't go anywhere, be that as it may be, cool as all out.
1. It made me cry.
2. You must agree with me, even though you haven't seen it. You must trust me.
3. If you don't agree, you aren't credible, nor human, and barely fit to live. Plus you haven't seen it.
4. These people (important as they are) all agree. So obviously you are defective.
5. You can agree, without having seen. But if you disagree, not having seen is bad. Your faith can only go in one direction.
Man, with that one-sided temper-tantrum pouting argumentative style I woulda been kicked out Jr. High Debate. ;)
The "official site" is nothing but a 30-second commercial.
You know what's so amazing about Google maps? I can actually use it.
Ouch! As if anyone needed another example of the failure of basic science education in this country…
"Tom: sorry, that stuff went by so fast I don’t remember it all. I’d like you to watch something for an hour and then try to recall everything you saw."
Well, I do recall from primary school that "infrared" IS radiation. The line I quoted is an example of either abysmal comprehension of science, or abysmal grammar. Which of those do you wish to claim, mister "geek"?
Sorry for not being clearer.
Robert, care to link to something that *directly* deals with this? Both of your links end up at what I guess MS thinks should be the "main" site....
Which yields:
(1) A very nice description of whatever this is.
(2) A real nice <del>H2</del> sorry, TD element with the text "Reactions to Worldwide Telescope".
So far? Not much help. No clarity. And yes, certainly - nothing remotely close to tearjerking.
(3) A lovely flash player... or is that SVG or Quicktime? Whatever. Yet something else I have to click on - and patiently watch and listen to - about the "kid reaction".
This would be about the time I'm no longer looking for something cool (much less tearjerking) but am wondering if they realize how little the "get it".
Let's <del>go below the fold</del> dig a little deeper....
Ah shit - coming in Spring 2008. Sigh. Face it Robert, you blew it with your usual hyperbole - AGAIN.
Want to make a fool out of me? Post a link to the cool stuff... to something that delivers on the concept you so easily had tears over.
And do it without a defensive post like this. Oh yeah, and without a 1000 word hyperbolic post like that other one.
Just simple DO it. No hype. No filler. Simply DO IT.
I've messed around with a few planetarium-type apps, and I'll be much pleased if MS can improve upon what's already out there. I've been interested in astronomy since I was a little girl, and this kind of thing would have really thrilled me when I was a kid.
The official website is currently lacking in content somewhat, but that's no big deal to me. They just announced it. It's too early to call it vaporware! The release date is fairly vague and hasn't even come and gone yet anyhow.
5 to 1 - Robert never installs it.
2 to 1 - Patrick would rather play WoW
even money - Robert will tire of it by the time its publicly released, just like Kyte, WetPaint, Bug Labs...
Google Earth -- after a few years.. Microsoft Virtual Earth
Google Maps - Live Maps (a few years later)
iPod -- Zune (released many years later after the iPod, in direct competition)
And that's just the yesteryears (Let's not talk about Netscape or MacOS or Excel)
Seriously, your tears, a video of some children's awestruck faces and some ecstatic blog posts aren't selling me anything at all.
Even if the Telescope were worth every bit you say, I'd always have a funny nebulous thought in the back of my mind about Google Sky and a company that built its entire product line based on their adversaries' popular products.
So much for innovation.
Microsoft Office - Google Docs
Windows Media Center - Apple TV
Live Maps Traffic Feature - Google Maps Traffic Feature
Live Messenger - Google Talk
IE - Safari
Keyhole - Google Earth
Where2 - Google Maps
So much for innovation there.
But seriously, this will be great. Some of the WinLive stuff Microsoft has is actually better than Google, and I can't wait to see this WWT.
Oh, and the Zune for the most part beats the iPod Classics and all the other iPods below the Classic level.
Also, because of this software, common people would get access to mysterious universe.
Wait! Sorry, coming in Spring 2008. You say "wait until March 4th". For what? More hype? Or is MS declaring March 4th the beginning of Spring?
A question Ballmer seems to asking MS investors to swallow every day. Don't know how much money was invested in this project, but I would venture a guess that some MS investors would be questioning the value of it relative to the bottom line.
I notice you linked to MSN Maps but not to Google Maps. Any reason for that? Personally, I think Yahoo! maps are the best - especially their traffic and accident overlays. But technologically, Google's maps are still the most exciting because they use regular image files and AJAX. The engineering behind that is awesome, even the javascript dragging. They were cutting edge, even as we're seeing stuff like that appearing on shopping sites like bluefly (much smaller scaling problems, though - Google was simultaneously low-tech and brilliant).
Yahoo! and Microsoft's maps, by comparison, are boring because they use Adobe flash as the middleware provider for the interface.
I'm sure you've seen this, but here's a really informative site:
http://www.google.com/moon/
I always lose hours going over this.
missed Google Sky View. As usual little or no
innovation from MS...just tired borrowings.
I really hate people like you who just come here to troll with absolutely no facts behind them. Geeesshh, go back to Digg.
If I can have it Monday, why *this* post? To generate hype? Again, just simply DO it. Its one thing to tease the world with a preview that brings a tear to an A-lister's eye, it another thing to either put up a stupid tease of a site or post about the afore-mentioned tease.
This post could have waited until Monday. The site could have waited until Monday.
That said, I'm looking forward to checking it out.
Ouch redux! Visible light, infrared, gamma rays, x-rays, radio waves, etc., etc. are ALL electromagnetic radiation, varying only in wavelength.
When I was growing up (in the 50s and 60s), this was primary school stuff. Now, apparently, even college graduates don't understand it, hence my caustic remark about the state of American education. How are we going to compete with the Chinese in the marketplace if our self-styled "geeks" can't even understand, let alone articulate, the differences between, say, an IR and an RF remote control?
I guess I'll have a play around with it when it comes out.
I am just wondering if perhaps the whole star gazing thing is a North American geeks wet dream. It sure didn't make me cry.
I am curious though: what will be the same and what will be different in WWT?
Yeah, TED presentations always have that elitist self-evident swarmy tact, never doing much in way of rigid persuasion or data-analysis. They just assume that if you remain emotionally distant (to their pet topics of the moment) that you aren't of the "cult", i.e. people that "get it". It's not exactly peer review, but then none of the celebrity-styled Davosish conferences ever are. Watched a slew of TEDs for an editing project, and was half dead at the end.
But something I noticed...
You gotta wonder about the kooks at some of those conferences, San Franish liberal-hippie weenies that end up supporting what they hate, as the other side adopts a few of their pet projects. Facist dictatorships murdering half their population, are A-OK, if said dictatorship is helping global warming or 'bridging the digital divide' by handing out few wind-up laptops.
Kind of like your comment. WTF, switch to decaf.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guZq3cWGRcE
But he saw billions & billions of other things. :-)
P.S. You are the Joan Rivers of the Internet!
I give Tours of the Universe with this platform within portable immersive domes regularly - as do numerous others - and the response always includes gasping and crying front wide-eyed and slackjawed observers.
Does WWT provide true 3D + Time for the objects? The TED video looks like zooming and panning, but is it a navigable 3D space? Trying to understand the distinctions.
I'm shocked. Totally shocked.
I think I tried Celestia around 2000, but I see the copyright on the web site dates to 2001 so it might have been as late as that.
I tried it on Linux. It didn't require any special software or hardware. Faster video cards were nice, but not essential. Maybe if you had seen it back then you would have cried.
But there was no PR for it. No flashy video released months in advance hyping it up.
Think how much sooner the kids of the world would have had something like this were they not waiting for Microsoft to release it.
That's what makes me cry.
I remember being able to switch from one point of view to another (on Earth or elsewhere). Being able to fly anywhere in the visible galaxy at light speed or beyond, improving your intuition about starting and stopping in space as opposed to earthbound vehicles.
Will the MS version do some new things? Probably. Is the concept essentially new? No. Is there any reason it should require Vista? Yes, it's less a Research product and more a Marketing tool.
Crying worked for Hillary too, when in doubt, pout.
OH, you don't believe??...Wait till April till you see the beta version! Then you'll know
OH, you still don't believe?? Wait till June for the proper release! Then you'll know
OH, you still don't believe??.... You're a dumbass and don't understand!
http://www.stellarium.org/screenshots.html
Open source is better than Microsoft.
The good thing is that these visualization tools are very good in themselves for diffusion and vulgarisation, while scientific tools such as the Aladin Sky Atlas (http://aladin.u-strasbg.fr/) also become available to anyone… with data accesible by everyone.
Windoze only? You're kidding, right? Where is the pathetic version for 'other platforms' (as if more than one survived them?) As if anyone in their right mind ever used I.E. in the first place, let alone now.
There is absolutely no reason for this to be windows only. It is yet another instance of Microsoft taking (from the likes of NASA this time) and using it to push their monopoly.
Best part too is that you can control the scopes PERSONALLY & tell them what you want to look at, then snap pics. Second best part is that you getcontrol of MULTIPLE scopes withthe yearly unlimited package. Right now we have 2 off the coast of Africa. An observatory has been rented already in Australia & the scope will be added soon. And there's 1 more, soon to be 2, getting ready to come on-line in Chile.
As an amateur astronomer having a tool like this for free has finally put the universe into the hands of many more people. I hope the scope manufacturers quickly embrace it as a tool to not only allow scope controls but integrate their learning, training and user experiences into it so people can share them.
Google sky doesn't compare, doesn't have the astronomy, astrometry, photometry or science aspect to allow one to do research and publish research and access everyone elses research at the same time.
People are terrible naive about the functionality of this app. TERRIBLY.
www.all-creatures.org/ach I wish to send you the first chapter of my book "Beyond the beyond." which is hardly believable.
@Tom Burke: When Scoble wrote "radiation", he was probably referring to "ionizing radiation", which is the most common use of the word "radiation" according to Wikipedia.
I agree that it is a very sad commentary that he doesn't seem to understand that gamma rays and X-rays are EM radiation, just like infrared.
This is what happens when the mass media dumbs down science. "Ionizing radiation" simply becomes "radiation", and everyone forgets about non-ionizing radiation. As another example, power (measured in watts) and energy (watt-hours or joules) are often confused in the mass media. For example, this article
http://www.forbes.com/2001/04/02/0330power.html
claims that a clothes dryer uses "100 watts an hour". That's kind of like driving 60 MPH per hour, isn't it?
RA:14h31m30s
DEC:+20:15:03
also
RA:23h08m23s
DEC:-29:49:07