This is very strange

Ami Silberman wrote:

"Mary Pegg" wrote in message
...
I think it's simply a terrain model for military commanders to work
out their battle plans. Same as people have been doing for thousands
of years.

I can't imagine that they wouldn't use computers for it though...

It's better, and cheaper?

--
New email address, backwards: com dot ntlworld usual.thing.here marypegg

"Mary Pegg" wrote in message
...
Ami Silberman wrote:

"Mary Pegg" wrote in message
...
I think it's simply a terrain model for military commanders to work
out their battle plans. Same as people have been doing for thousands
of years.

I can't imagine that they wouldn't use computers for it though...

It's better, and cheaper?

--
New email address, backwards: com dot ntlworld usual.thing.here marypegg

The computers are probably cheaper for most purposes -- I would assume that
the PRC has some form of computer-aided terrain analysis (Google Earth if
nothing else), which would be much more flexible than setting up such a
large topographic whatever it is for a specific location.

I'm kind of with Pat here -- its probably for some sort of training. It
might be for prototyping some sort of automated imaging, or something else
that you really need that sort of fidelity, including the ability to zoom in
very, very close, and the sort of accurate imagery that might not be
feasible without a physical model. It is still puzzling though.

Ami Silberman wrote:

I can't imagine that they wouldn't use computers for it though...
If you were doing it today. However, AFAIK, we don't know when this
thing was constructed. If it is painted concrete, it could well have
been built in the '60s for all we know.

The reg article mentioned pilot training as a possible use. That still
seems pretty strange, but at the scale it is built, a person walking
around on foot would have a perspective fairly similar to that of a low
flying aircraft in the real place. If you wanted your pilots to
familiarize themselves the landscape, without risking them straying
into hostile airspace, or alerting them to the fact that you are
planning something in that area, this seems like a vaguely plausible
method. Still very strange to spend so much effort modeling one small
area.

Ami Silberman wrote:

"Mary Pegg" wrote in message
...
Ami Silberman wrote:

"Mary Pegg" wrote in message
...
I think it's simply a terrain model for military commanders to work
out their battle plans. Same as people have been doing for thousands
of years.

I can't imagine that they wouldn't use computers for it though...

It's better, and cheaper?


The computers are probably cheaper for most purposes -- I would assume

If you've got a million conscripts that you need to keep busy?

--
New email address, backwards: com dot ntlworld usual.thing.here marypegg