billswift comments on The Popularization Bias - Less Wrong

21 Post author: Wei_Dai 17 July 2009 03:43PM

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Comment author: billswift 18 July 2009 09:08:02AM *  0 points [-]

A solid Dyson sphere is a dumb idea, the dynamics are unstable. See Niven's essay on the dynamics of ringworld for the problems, and realize a sphere would be even worse. I don't remember whether he discussed that in "Bigger than Worlds" or in an essay specifically on building Ringworld, he did discuss the dynamics problems in the novels as well.

Comment author: RolfAndreassen 19 July 2009 09:16:26PM 1 point [-]

So you have to expend a bit of energy moving it back to the midpoint every so often. What are attitude jets for?