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A comment on U.S. Navy to use Xbox 360 controllers to operate periscopes aboard submarines. Parent comment

Re:U.S. Navy to use Xbox 360 controllers to operate periscop... by throwawayjava on Tuesday September 19, 2017 @11:26AM (#15285463)
This is an interesting debate, but I think it misses the most important point: cost.

The Navy can buy thousands of Xbox controllers for the cost of even a single bespoke controller. The US has on the order of 100 submarines. Replacement controllers for the lifetime of each submarine -- even multiplied by 10 -- is a hilariously small cost compared to the alternatives.

So buy 1,000+ Xbox controllers and keep them in a warehouse. Problem solved.

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Re:U.S. Navy to use Xbox 360 controllers to operate periscop... by collinmanderson on Tuesday September 19, 2017 @04:55PM (#15288724)
> buy 1,000+ Xbox controllers and keep them in a warehouse.

Yes, I was going to suggest this. It would solve the availability issue and reduce the malware issue. If it's replacing a $38,000 item, they could buy 1,265 extra per sub.

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