Dear Slashdot

I'm a little disapointed in you.

Jerry Smith writes

"The Guardian reports 'Each of the groups that will gather in New Mexico is competing to win a NASA prize set up to encourage entrepreneurs to start development work on the technology needed to create a space elevator.' It still might take a while though, progress is slow, so slow."

Emphasis mine.

The progress to date has not been slow but incremental.

This is an important distinction. Incremental advances allow for a stable and mature system to emerge.

Stable and mature are things you want in your transporation infrastructure.