Microsoft have finally gone live with their version of Google Sky. Its called the World Wide Telescope and is now available from Microsoft at http://www.worldwidetelescope.org. I heard about this project a while ago when it was announced at TED and was excited from the get go. More info after the jump.Currently Microsoft have about 20 terabytes of data that make up the visual experience, which will be updated on a regular basis. This equates to about 1.2 million books.
One of the features that Microsoft has been keen on is the ability for anyone from professional astronomers to amateur viewers to be able to use the software. This should enable the tool as a teaching aid to school children and other novices.
This is what Dr Roy Gould of the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics had to say about the new software tool.
"Galileo's telescope started to give us views of the universe that no one elseI cant wait to get this going and see if it is as good as its supposed to be.
had seen before and we started asking what was out there and why. And I think
the WorldWide Telescope is going to do the same thing for the rest of us, In terms of pushing the envelope, this really pushes the envelope."
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Speaking of Microsoft let me digress. My xbox 360 which is only 2 months old died at the weekend. 3 things bother me about the xbox fiasco.1. Why do microsoft sell a product to the public that they absolutely know without doubt is going to fail? Everyone I know who has one is on their second or third. 2. Why are they allowed too? 3. Why do idiots like me buy them.
I am going to get my replacement and do what everyone else is doing - sell my xbox to buy a wii.
I absolutely hate micro$oft and everything they stand for.
I was massively underwhelmed by that telescope nonsense too.
1. The cost of selling consoles and games vs replacing consoles leaves them with a net profit, and increases market share - even with all the problems.
2. As long as people keep buying, they'll keep selling. As long as they adhere to the sales act's and replace faulty goods, they cant be prevented from selling.
3. You and 500 million other people buddy!
I installed the telescope, and it crashed on the first run. I know its a beta, but I wish it worked at least a little bit. Concept is great tho.
I appreciate the fact that Micro$oft do what they do BECAUSE THEY CAN. I just hate the way they treat their customers with such contempt. Am even considering learning up Linux so I dont have to use their poxy operating system (which is XP, which they won't be supporting soon which will mean me and everyone else in the world will be forced to fork out for Vi$ta even though XP is perfectly fine in every way)
My 360 is nearly 3 years old and has never failed. (Please (any) god don’t jinx it now...). My Playstation3 runs on Linux, it hasn’t failed either. Vista sux.
Update - exactly one week after UPS came to collect my faulty xbox I receive it back, plug it in and guess what? Yep - ring of death.
Fucking morons.
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