Morris Dovey wrote:
On 2/13/2010 12:45 PM, dpb wrote:

And, of course, even if the energy fuel source itself is free, the
accoutrements required to utilize it aren't...

There is that aspect. OTOH, folks don't seem to much value nor draw
satisfaction from that which comes their way without cost.

From the production standpoint, the effort to produce such devices for
people who didn't value them and who derived no satisfaction from using
them, would rather quickly become pointless.

I'm not saying it isn't nor can't be valuable...and in the right
circumstances may even have a positive payback over some time frame.

Still, one can bone up on math and physics, delve into fluid dynamics
and heat transfer, refresh the hazy thermodynics memories, and then
proceed more or less directly to a design of ones own. At that point all
that's needed is to get the right materials into an appropriately
equipped shop and do the assembly. If you happen to have all the right
stuff, I suppose it /could/ be free...

For some definition of free I suppose...

The "stuff" will have had to come from _somewhere_ ... and we all know
what shops a merely alternatives or substitutes for the boat or
other endless resource sink.

There's still no free lunch (unfortunately).

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