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Douglas_Knight comments on Magnetic rings (the most mediocre superpower) A review. - Less Wrong Discussion

26 Post author: Elo 30 July 2015 01:23PM

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Comment author: Douglas_Knight 01 August 2015 08:12:11PM 0 points [-]

A science museum amortizes the cost of the demonstration across many people, but that only works for short demonstrations. If you need to play with the rings for a week or a month, they don't fit in a museum. But you can amortize the cost of lava lamp with your friends: after you get bored of it, pass it on. This is harder with a ring because of sizing. Also, if they weaken after two months.

Comment author: Pfft 02 August 2015 01:51:53AM 1 point [-]

How about amortizing it among LessWrong users? If there are enough interested people we can pool up to buy a pair, each one in the pool gets to keep it for (say) a month, and then mails it in an envelope to the next guy. Maybe everyone has to write an experience report as a Less Wrong comment, too.

Comment author: Elo 02 August 2015 10:35:50PM 1 point [-]

I am not against the idea but also in the US they are quite reasonably priced. I had to pay shipping to far away, shipping was almost as much as the rings.

The point of my post was a that its a null-experiment (AKA - don't bother trying it because it wasn't that exciting). If I don't share the fact that it was actually not worthwhile, someone else motivated to do it won't know it has already been reported on.

Comment author: Elo 02 August 2015 10:37:25PM 0 points [-]

I would have said a set or so for 10mins would show you some of the fun stuff, but also should be enough. Heck - a "rent them" sorta policy. two rings, $5 to play, $50 deposit. You can keep the rings but you can also give them back for the deposit.