karl3＠writeme.com wrote: > karl3＠writeme.com wrote: > > karl3＠writeme.com wrote: > > > karl3＠writeme.com wrote: > > > > karl3＠writeme.com wrote: > > > > > > > the xkcd for monday was something called "sawstart", a horrible > > > > > > > idea that randall likely wrote as a subtle mistake stemming in > > > > > > > nerdiness, possibly not unknown > > > > > > > the sawstart is in the inverse of a sawstop, it is a special saw > > > > > > > that starts cutting when touched by a human hand o_o yes shows > > > > > > > randall getting some of the zombies again > > > > > > > the interesting parts of the sawstart are: > > > > > > - it's somewhat hard to implement > > > > > > - it surprises people > > > > > > - it's a twist on normal expectations > > > > > > > > > > > > but it's severely dangerous to build for fun :/ it's a horrible > > > > > > idea! > > > > > > > > > > what could be made that is nicer than the sawstart? > > > > > > > > > > also the list archives page has stopped correctly sorting, i have to > > > > > scroll a bit to find my latest posts/spams > > > > > > > > so, it's reasonable to make somethat that activates when touched. this > > > > is commonly done for touchscreens on devices: note, touchscreens are > > > > not metal, which makes it harder. > > > > > > > > what about a saw that stopped without a guard? it still seems kinda > > > > dangerous :s > > > > > > > > but we could use an explosive charge like they do in the comic, to stop > > > > a saw right before a human touches it > > > > > > > > for actual safety all possible avenues of failure would need review, > > > > not only to prevent failure but also to leave margins of safety > > > > > > arright mister zombie what is going on > > > > > > did you read a webcomic while being attacked by zombies and they somehow > > > used it to make you more zombielike > > > > the idea of the saw that safely stops can be done safely! you'd apply the > > error margins to testing it. you'd start with things like slow-moving paper > > and putty -- > > how about something general, where it's a response to worry about things like > sawstarts? > > maybe some kind of robot butler that watches the people in its environment > with eyes like a hawk, heroically and reliably preventing horrifying injuries > right before they happen, and only if they will happen?
so like you put the robot next to you, and you go to run and jump off a cliff, and right in the last moment the robot runs and stops you from falling, maybe with a message like "i am so sorry for interrupting your adventure but your likelihood of dying without my intervention reached 100%. i now would like to schedule time with you to practice safe behavior near large drops." and then jumps off the cliff itself to demonstrate the danger, reporting the force of impact and the lack of opportunities for changing the situation as one falls
