[ythl]

> Initially, it will explore the feasibility of building a line linking the two cities.

So now it's one of those "feasibility" projects?

Hyperloop suffers from the same problem as Solar Freakin' Roadways and Artificial Gills, I'm afraid: too much saying, not enough doing. I am instantly suspicious of projects that have lots of hyped up marketing but little to no prototypical substance.

To me, Hyperloop One still seems like a sci-fi pipe dream (pun intended).

[Fricken]

It's not our money funding this company, I don't see the utility in trying to take them down a notch. If they fail, only their investors lose. If they succeed, we all win.

If it's an HN thread about the latest social media startup, the lament is that SV doesn't innovate enough. If it's about a company tackling something hard, out come accusations of 'vapourware', and predictions of their imminent doom.

[hiou]

"If they fail, only their investors lose"

You realize that isn't actually how a capital market based economy works, right? Investors are the "command" part of the economy, responsible for allocating resources. If they decide to only invest in ridiculous, worthless ideas then we all definitely lose. So far that hasn't happened, but never forget that it is very important for us all where investors put their money.

[mikeash]

I don't think Hyperloop is going to result in anything particularly useful. It seems to have a lot of fundamental problems. I'm sure it's no coincidence that Elon Musk tossed the idea out with minimal support rather than having one of his companies build it, or founding a new one.

However, it seems a bit premature to say that it's too much saying and not enough doing. It's only been out there for about three years. There have been scale-model pods built, and test tracks are under construction. If anything, progress seems remarkably fast for such a radical machine.

[huffpopo]

Because it is a bad idea it is probably for the best that there is more saying than doing.

[asadjb]

Just curious but why is it a bad idea?

[Shivetya]

I am not sure even Dubai has enough money to make a hyperloop work. I mean, it sounds so good until you break out the details and examine it piece by piece and then you start to realize exactly what they are proposing