Anton Olsen.com

links for 2008-04-30

• Strong Force Inc.
  Cool magnetic cube toy.
  (tags: tobuy magnets cube)

links for 2008-04-29

• ShareBuilder: Buy Stocks Online and invest your money at ShareBuilder
  An interesting investment idea.
  (tags: investment stocks)
• UO SRML: Sun chart program
  Program to calculate solar angles throughout the year.
  (tags: geek generator energy solar tools)

Will’s Mag Bot

Will has finished his 2nd magbot design. This one is a lot more maneuverable than the last but has a few adhesion issues. More magnets should help with that.

I’m getting closer on my Floppy Bot design. I’ll try to get some pictures once I print some wheels for it.

Rackspace Files IPO, Will Set Price Via Auction

Update: Rackspace Files IPO, Will Set Price Via Auction

Hosting provider Rackspace filed for an initial public offering with the SEC last night, as we predicted it would. The company will try to raise $400 million, and it intends to set the IPO price through an auction, much like Google did. The underwriters are Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse, and WR Hambrecht & Co. (the leading proponent of such IPO pricing). Pricing through an auction is designed to make sure the company raises the most money possible instead of giving up a first-day pop to investors who are allocated shares by the investment banks doing the deal. Shares will still be allocated to such clients, but anyone who bids beforehand in the auction at or above the eventual IPO price will also get shares. All in all, it is a much more efficient way to price an IPO and more companies should do it.

I’m not surprised, rumors have been batted around since I left Rackspace, but it is still interesting.

I suspect the biggest reason that RS needs to raise the cash is because of their tax abatement agreements with Windcrest and the state.  If I remember right they have promised something like 4,000 employees in a rather short amount of time.  The extra cash raised by an IPO would most likely be a part of that plan.

I wish them luck and hope that Fanatical Support doesn’t get replaced with Fanatical Dividends.

Humping Dog USB

Serving no purpose than to embarrass and humiliate your laptop, this humping dog usb device should be the hit at any board meeting, just don’t invite me.

Robowranglers are Bringing Home the Gold!!!!

Robowranglers are Bringing Home the Gold!!!!

Win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks Racksolutions Inc! Thanks L3 Integrated Systems! Thanks Greenville Highschool! Thanks Simbots! Thanks Thunderchickens! Way to go Robowranglers!!!!

The Greenville FIRST Robotics team wins!  I’ll be sure to post some video of the winning match as soon as I can find it.  For now, here’s a sampling of the Regional matches.

More about the win here: GHS Robotics Team World Champions

links for 2008-04-21

• Packaging a Python game for distribution on Windows — py2exe and cx_Freeze | OMGWTF GAMES !!1!
  Python app/game distribution for windows
  (tags: python exe windows toread)

links for 2008-04-20

• uC Hobby » Blog Archive » PIC Development, Linux Style
  PIC development for Linux
  (tags: pic microchip linux howto)

links for 2008-04-17

• Model Engineers—Jerry Kieffer, John Deere Tractor
  An incredible model of a John Deere tractor. It runs like a Deere and it looks like everything works, including the oil gauge and grease gun.
  (tags: model tractor)

Four Hands, One Guitar