Google to launch a floating Navy

messageinabottle · Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2008 9:56 am Post subject: Google to launch a floating Navy

Forget the Royal Navy and the U.S. Marines -- the 'computer navy' is on its way, and digital media on the high seas are set to make a steaming comeback.

It seemed that floating media firms were a thing of the past when the United Kingdom's last major offshore pirate radio station, Radio Caroline, followed other European and American examples and died out in the early 1990s.

But, fast-forward 20 years and enter Internet giant The Google.

According to a patent application seen by London newspaper "The Times," The Googles is considering launching barges up to seven miles (11km) offshore to host the massive data centers required to run its Internet search engines.

The plan would likely see the data centers -- which consist of huge supercomputers -- use wave energy to power and cool themselves while stationed at sea.

In the application Google states: "Computing centers are located on a ship or ships, anchored in a water body from which energy from natural motion of the water may be captured, and turned into electricity and/or pumping power for cooling pumps to carry heat away."

Some major benefits of Google's project include being able to save money on rent and property taxes by being positioned offshore, as well as saving money on electricity bills.

"If you look at the percentage of power being used by these centers ... it seems like a good long-term bet for the future," Karp told CNN.

Karp believes Google could also benefit from snaring a "green" image if it is able to harness wave motion to power the computers and their cooling systems, in addition to providing a quality service to users.

"One of the reasons Google has data centers around the world is to enhance the user experiences near where many of their users are. This will still allow them to do that."

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mgibbons19 · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Aug 20, 2004 Posts: 1066

Interesting. Also putting them outside of the reach of regs and privacy laws, no?

messageinabottle

steam_cannon · Expert Joined: Dec 28, 2006 Posts: 2469 Location: MA

nobodypanic · Intermediate Crude Joined: Jun 02, 2008 Posts: 501

just don't put those barges in the GOM.

Dreamtwister · Fission Joined: Feb 06, 2006 Posts: 2229

Kinda gives a whole new meaning to the term "software pirate", doesn't it?
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lorenzo · Fission Joined: Jan 01, 2005 Posts: 2189

There were some guys a few years ago who went out to rent a cruise ship which they were going to stuff full of cheap IT-slaves. They would "near-shore" labor - in international waters, so they could evade plenty of taxes.

Apparently they're still in business: Sea Code Inc.

http://www.sea-code.com/

"Sweat-ship" anyone?

I can see such ships in perfect cohabitation with Google's floating server farms.
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Dreamtwister · Fission Joined: Feb 06, 2006 Posts: 2229

GASMON

Could rename it GURGLE !!.

Gasmon
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cube · Fusion Joined: Mar 12, 2005 Posts: 3591

Not going to happen folks.
After the stock market crashes, IT companies will have to survive just like any other "normal" traditional company.
Meaning they have to survive based off what they produce and not some over inflated stock price.
That requirement alone should guarantee the death of 50% of what we call the IT industry.
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vtsnowedin · Heavy Crude Joined: Jul 11, 2008 Posts: 352

"GOOGLE TO LAUNCH A FLOATING NAVY"
I suppose that would be much better then any other kind of navy.

It would come down to the costs of the operation on land vs. the cost of the operation floating. Looking at Navy budgets and the cost of commercial shipping the floating option is certainly not cheap. where are the bean counters when you need them.

miskatonic · Coal Joined: Aug 31, 2008 Posts: 17

Why are you guys so facinated by Google? I am very curious about this.