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A comment on Building supercomputers for autocrats probably isn't good for democracy. Parent comment

Re:Building supercomputers for autocrats probably isn't good... by mindslight on Monday June 09, 2025 @12:01AM (#44221327)
War. The first use of technology is always war. In the year 780 [sic] and today.
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Re:Building supercomputers for autocrats probably isn't good... by GeoAtreides on Monday June 09, 2025 @05:49AM (#44222794)
No, the first application of steam engines was pumping water from deep coal mines
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Re:Building supercomputers for autocrats probably isn't good... by mindslight on Monday June 09, 2025 @12:05PM (#44225894)
And kragen's comment wasn't even about the first application. Forgive me for being cynical while an American city is being attacked to the sound of cheers, seemingly because people have just had it too good. We just don't fucking learn.
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Re:Building supercomputers for autocrats probably isn't good... by inglor_cz on Monday June 09, 2025 @07:18AM (#44223293)
That is too simplistic. Plenty of new technology saw civilian use first, such as photography, X-ray, telephone, moveable type, smartphones or smallpox inoculation. Even FPV drones were mostly an over-the-counter toy for nerds until 2022.

Now civilian use only, that would be different, few technologies are civilian-only, with no possible military use. But war as the first use is not as frequent case as you assert.

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