What I'm asking for is something similar to what I asked of proponents of alternative fusion technologies when writing up the fusion prize legislation back in 1992<http://www.oocities.org/jim_bowery/BussardsLetter.html> :
"If you were considering competing for a cold fusion prize to be awarded for a reliably reproducible experimental protocol, how would you like to see that prize's criteria stated?" The reason this is a meaningful question is that all too often you have silly "prizes" offered by the usual suspects, such as the Gates Foundation, where the award criteria ends up basically being "Make my courtesans feel good and they'll award you the prize." Objective criteria are absolutely essential to get serious competitors. The Longitude Prize <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longitude_prize> was about as vague as you can afford to be and still get results -- and its vagueness almost killed Harrison before he got the prize. The Ansari X-Prize criteria were pretty simple and objective, which is why it worked so well. Similarly simple and objective criteria need to be established for the cold fusion prize. On Tue, Feb 11, 2014 at 2:39 PM, Jed Rothwell <[email protected]> wrote: > I am confused. I do not follow what James Bowery means about the X-prize. > Let me reset the conversation with a new title. > > Bowery wrote: > > "Sound criteria would include an experimental protocol is submitted to > Dick Smith that, when followed by independent scientists, reliably > generates excess energy." > > Okay, I gather this is what the X-prize would be given for. That seems > like a reasonable goal. That is better than, say, a prize for the first > commercial prototype device. > > > "Other details of the criteria need to be established but it seems > entirely reasonable that men like yourself and Ed are very qualified to > help set those criteria." > > I do not know anything about the X-prize, so I would not be the one to > establish other criteria. If they have any questions I would be happy to > answer them. > > Years ago, someone from X-prize contacted me with some questions. I do not > recall what they were, but I dutifully answered. I never heard back. > > > If you have any influence with these people, by all means ask them to > establish a prize for cold fusion. As you say, the prize should be for a > reliable experimental protocol. Go for it! Bell that cat! > > - Jed > >
