Oh man, that song brings back memories (and my own attempts to create music with the trackers in the 90's). Thanks for sharing your thought process and context around how you created that song!
The demoscene was one of the things that got me into programming in the mid 90's. I think it is awesome that it is being recognized in this way... youtube link to Future Crew Tribute for pure nostalgia:) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Yzzg19MvHA&list=PLE_ArT5Ajr...
From the last paragraph in the article "But perhaps the most striking element of the tower makeover is how it fits into a bigger story: the ongoing campaign to reclaim Paris from private motor vehicles" for some reason this randomly reminded me of a quote from Steve Jobs about the Segway when it launched predicting they would 'build cities around it' (ref: http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/ptech/12/03/scooter.unveiling/T... ) Large cities starting to ban cars in the city center might finally be that opportunity for Segway like devices to really flourish (not to mention powered and unpowered scooters, bicycles, skateboards, etc).
He sounds like a reasonable and introspective person (at least that is the impression I got from reading the article). It's a good reminder that Billionaire's are people too, with all the same hopes, dreams, and insecurities that many of us non-billionaires have.
I think the strategic direction of Tesla is going to create considerable value in the long term - not just in selling cars, but in the industry dominating direction they seem to be headed. For example, I think of the charger network alone as the future of the gas station, and could be a deciding factor when consumers are considering one brand of electric car vs. another. Self driving technology is another race where the first mover to truly succeed will have a head start in becoming the foundation for the next generation of transportation and shipping services. The potential of being the leader in that space is much bigger and likely more profitable than the car industry combined.
Yes, there is considerable risk and other players might get there faster than Tesla, but they are certainly in the running and their existing cars collecting real-world data could give them a leg up against the competition. I would also factor in the fact that car manufacturer's and their culture are not used to building and iterating on software services like this quickly. Think about how Microsoft tried to make phone operating systems for years before the iPhone or Android phones launched, and they are now completely side-lined in that space because they just couldn't innovate or copy fast enough before network effects kicked in and locked them out. Similarly, many of those same network effects can exist with cars.
I can see a world where consumer decide to purchase cars based on their technology and charger networks alone. This could even include an App store where a large number of apps available for the car become an important deciding factor.
Once you get out ahead, I think it will be really hard for others to catch up.
Note: I'm note an owner in Tesla, but I'm bullish on their ambitious long-term prospects.
We've been around for 2 and a half years in this space. We do something very similar, but we have our own twist on it.
Just like FreshPost.io and Beatrix, we scour the internet for the latest news and blog posts based on your keywords. However, unlike those offerings, we go the extra mile and actually manually evaluate the content against your specific social media writing guidelines and we then draft a post for you to approve.
We're more like your own human social media assistant and ghostwriter. We're also more expensive, but you get what you pay for.
Over the years we have found that many of our customers really just want someone to handle it all directly, so we've recently started offering social media management services in a more traditional capacity.
Ultimately, It's nice to see more competition in this space.
FreshPost.io - your site looks great, although I don't see a link to your Facebook so I can evaluate how good your content is? Any links to see real results?
Congrats on your purchase! Having 4G internet is a very nice addition to your infrastructure, and critical in this day and age. Even if you want to disconnect for extended periods of time, you still have to pay your bills and taxes.
Speaking from experience, solar panels and car batteries work very well to supply a minimal amount of power for daily use (LED lights, charging cell phones and laptops, etc), but a generator will likely be needed for the occasional heavy equipment use. I'm less of a fan of windmills, but they have their place.
Water is indeed the most important infrastructure element to get right, but the solution you go with often depends heavily with your power choices. It's one thing to leave a desalinization system running 24x7 and maintain it, but it's a whole different story if you need something that can be shut down and restarted several months later. Maintenance and long-term reliability become important factors. Maybe you'll get lucky and find you can drill a well for fresh water, but the size of your island makes me think that is unlikely.
Other fun things to think about: plumbing, septic systems, waste disposal, hot water systems, lights, cooking, and refrigeration.
Then there is always the debate of redundancy vs. simplicity. and the real cost of maintaining an often fragile infrastructure.
I am very curious to hear more about your progresses in building out your island infrastructure and have subscribed to your blog.
Personally, I blame the internet for the fall in crime. The rise of internet usage during the late 90's and early 00's certainly coincides with the fall in crime.
I'm actually being serious, I can think of nothing else that has had such a widespread impact on society as a whole. Our ability to be connected with others, research information, etc. Misfits now have an outlet where they can find likeminded individuals like never before.