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Google Idle Technology

Google's Server Cooling Plan Produces 4ft Alligator 79

concealment writes "In addition to potentially keeping Google's search and email programs from overheating, the pond also has become home to plenty of algae, which meant Google had to stock it with fish. And since this is the Lowcountry, the food chain didn't stop there. 'So we now have a 4-foot alligator that has taken up residence in our pond as well,' Kava said, clearly amused. He added that government experts have said it'll have to be removed once it grows to six feet long."
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Google's Server Cooling Plan Produces 4ft Alligator

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  • by boristdog ( 133725 ) on Wednesday November 14, 2012 @10:37AM (#41980429)

    Because it doesn't freeze in Berkeley during the winter.

  • Deeper (Score:5, Interesting)

    by kriston ( 7886 ) on Wednesday November 14, 2012 @10:45AM (#41980471) Homepage Journal

    Probably because deep water source cooling needs to be 217 feet deep to be effective or be a very large lake, or both.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_lake_water_cooling [wikipedia.org]

    • Re: (Score:1, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward

      Damn, my lake is only 216 feet.

    • TFA link sucks (Score:5, Informative)

      by sarysa ( 1089739 ) on Wednesday November 14, 2012 @11:39AM (#41981149)
      TFA has annoying "you won somthing but uh err really didn't" on Android devices that can't be bypassed. Here is a better TFA:

      http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2012/11/google_gator/ [wired.com]
    • Re: (Score:2, Informative)

      by Anonymous Coward

      Cooling ponds != deep water cooling. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooling_pond

    • by Anonymous Coward

      The depth just determines the temperature of the water. If you don't need the water to be as cold as possible, the lake doesn't have to be that deep. If you're trying to cool from ambient to something more comfortable, you need to have colder water. If you're trying to cool a server from really hot to just above ambient, ambient water is sufficient.

      dom

  • new lawyer (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 14, 2012 @10:48AM (#41980487)

    Just take it with you to the next patent negotiation meeting, throw it on the table and walk out.

    • by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 14, 2012 @11:22AM (#41980877)

      Or they just invite the lawyers to take a break from the negotiations and go for a refreshing "lunchtime" dip in the local pond?

    • by Jeng ( 926980 ) on Wednesday November 14, 2012 @11:27AM (#41980965)

      Ok, so live alligators for patent negotiations and dead doves for music contracts?

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozzy#Controversy [wikipedia.org]

    • Re:new lawyer (Score:5, Interesting)

      by Anubis IV ( 1279820 ) on Wednesday November 14, 2012 @11:53AM (#41981321)

      My father tells a story of being a campus radical at his university during the late '60s. At one point, he and a few of his compatriots had taken control of a campus building from the university. Members of the university staff had come to meet with them in the building in order to negotiate terms for the return of the building. As the meeting was going on, some other folks, clearly more radical than my father (and apparently looking rather ragged and worse for wear, for reasons I'll say in just a moment), opened up the door to the meeting room and pushed in an actual, living mountain lion. To say the least, my father's group and the university staff quickly discovered that they had more in common than they had thought as they all made a scramble for an exit.

      So, he can attest to the fact that dangerous animals can have a profound impact on negotiations. I'd imagine that a four-foot gator wouldn't be nearly as threatening, however. When I was growing up in south Florida, we used to visit Loxahatchee [wikipedia.org] for field trips, and we'd routinely be within a few feet of gators that were much larger than the one in this pond, with no barriers or other protection keeping them from us. Granted, as a third or fourth grader I had little sense for what sorts of danger I might be in, but the adults always seemed to be fine with it and not consider the trip an actual hazard.

      • Re:new lawyer (Score:5, Insightful)

        by T.E.D. ( 34228 ) on Wednesday November 14, 2012 @02:23PM (#41983255)

        Of course the adults would be fine with it; they are bigger than you. This is exactly why park rangers in India always take a goat with them when visiting the tigers.

        Once the gator eats the kids, then the adults start to worry.

  • Hosting? (Score:4, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 14, 2012 @10:52AM (#41980515)

    Is google hosting Gator or is gator hosting google?

  • by crazyjj ( 2598719 ) * on Wednesday November 14, 2012 @10:55AM (#41980551)

    Look baby, I'm just visiting. I'm not *living* here. I thought we both understood that we were just having fun here. I'm a young gator, so let's not start talking commitment, okay?

  • by GeekWithAKnife ( 2717871 ) on Wednesday November 14, 2012 @11:01AM (#41980623)
    Fear not, you can declare it a beta and chop off its' tail when it reaches 5'11.

    Problem solved.
  • by DavidClarkeHR ( 2769805 ) <david.clarke@NoSPAM.hrgeneralist.ca> on Wednesday November 14, 2012 @11:03AM (#41980641)
    Florida, eh? I've got two questions for the alligator.

    First, is it legal to work in the state. Second, does it fit any of our affirmative action categories. I know it isn't easy being green ... but it feels wrong to hire an alligator when we can get a much more ambitious and qualified crocodile.
  • by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) on Wednesday November 14, 2012 @11:07AM (#41980695)
    Comment removed based on user account deletion
  • Evil Lair (Score:5, Funny)

    by MyLongNickName ( 822545 ) on Wednesday November 14, 2012 @11:17AM (#41980811) Journal

    I am disappointed in you Slashdot, you have all missed the point. This is clearly part of an evil scheme from Google and you've let it pass as you normally do.

    Work with me here. Think evil geniuses. What do they have in common? That's right, a secret lair. Any anyone who has a secret lair needs its defenses. Clearly Google is developing their secret lair RIGHT OUT IN THE OPEN. My caps lock underscores the importance and urgency of what I am saying and is cruise control for cool.

    So, they have their "cooling water". Only an idiot would believe that. It is clearly a moat. Yes, a medieval moat. The alligator is just the first in their armada of beasts to protect their new evil lair. I have it ON HIGHEST AUTHORITY that they will next be buying some SHARKS and LASERS (more caps locks to convince you of my authority on the subject). You can only imagine what they will do next.

    An evil plot SO OBVIOUS BUT SLASHDOT IGNORES IT. Are you outraged? You should be. Are you surprised? You shouldn't be.Once I am back from taking my meds I will tell you more about Google and the trilateral commission. That is if "THEY" don't get me first.

    • Re: (Score:2, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward

      While you are correct, it is not a hot topic until the beast gets equipped with lasers...

    • ... I will tell you more about Google and the trilateral commission.

      They are moving in their Control-anator as we speak. They will take over the TRI-STATE AREA [wikia.com]! What? Of course it means that. What else could it mean?

  • by charlieo88 ( 658362 ) on Wednesday November 14, 2012 @11:21AM (#41980863)

    it'll have to be removed once it grows to six feet long."

    Or translated, "It's belt length now, but we're going to wait till it's belt and a pair of shoes length"

  • Did she swallow that fly?
  • Cover the pond and most algae problem disappears.

    Or create Jurassic park, I guess that works too.

    • by cusco ( 717999 )
      Cover the pond and it doesn't cool as quickly, and you still have the mosquito problem. You additionally now have a roof to maintain. I think that their solution is probably one of the best possible in that it saves energy, creates a wetland ecosystem where none existed previously, and is very low maintenance. Personally I'd enjoy watching an alligator and some herons hunting during my lunch breaks, YMMV.
    • I'm curious what kind of fish they have that they think will actually remove algae. Fish with little diapers maybe.

  • by Anonymous Coward

    This story severely lacks evidence proving the existence of said alligator. I see a picture of a building.

  • by Anonymous Coward

    There are something like 100,000 alligators living in the coastal sections of South Carolina. If there is a large, protected, and fish-stocked pond an alligator will find it.

  • Google bans it's employees from flushing Alligators down the toilets.
  • I hope that they hire Troy from Swamp People to catch it.
  • How about some salt, a couple solar panels, water pump and salt water chlorine generator instead of all the algae, fish, gators and other whatnots...
  • by funwithBSD ( 245349 ) on Wednesday November 14, 2012 @01:14PM (#41982355)

    No, not that one.

    This one:

    The feedings will continue until morale improves...

  • Many heavy industries have cooling ponds. The problems are routine and known.

    I once worked for a company near Detroit which made heavy hydraulic equipment. The R&D operation had a building full of test cells in which locomotive transmissions and similar big stuff was exercised for months on end. The dummy loads for the machines dumped the energy into water [wikipedia.org]. The water went to a cooling pond in front of the plant. The pond was made to look like a large decorative fountain with water sprays. But it was

  • Google can now import swap people from florida to hunt the gators.

    Who will sell gator meat, and gator skin products and add jobs to the economy.
  • I like the solitary comment on the article that happened to be posted the day Slashdot linked to it. Coincidence? Clearly the work of an intelligent Slashdotter:

    So who put the baby gator in the pond? Are they common in the area?

    A really big stork, of course. Well trolled, Mr. Sadler. He continues:

    That pond might be a good spot to raise talapia as they eat all kinds of greens and taste good when cooked.

    Protip for budding Guy Fieris: a headshot from a .22 rifle is sufficient to bag a gator and gator m

  • To: Google.
    From: Office of alligator regulations, algal pools division, eastern district office.

    Please note that while currently in compliance, your alligator will have to be removed when it reaches the current standard alligator removal length of 6 feet. Attached is a copy of form 6-423-100001, alligator removal entrance authorization and indemnification application. Please review, sign, and submit in triplicate. An inspector will be out shortly. Please note that we cannot guarantee the inspector wi

  • So we have Google Glass... Next we need Google Boots. Google Aligator Boots.

  • Mr. Slate could not be reached for comment.

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