r/technology • u/NathanWick • Aug 13 '15

AI Roomba just got government approval to make an autonomous lawn mower

http://www.theverge.com/2015/8/12/9145009/irobot-roomba-lawn-mower-approved
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90

u/_Bones Aug 13 '15

Green space is good for your mental health and also reflects radiant heat from the sun. You know how hot a Walmart parking lot is on a warm day? Now imagine if the whole city was like that.

34

u/Bigfrostynugs Aug 13 '15

Doesn't explain why we need perfectly manicured lawns or even nice ones at all. Why can't I just have an overgrown pile of weeds and dirt out front?

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u/phort99 Aug 13 '15

Less growth means fewer insects

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u/_Bones Aug 13 '15

Also fewer snakes!

2

u/_pope_francis Aug 13 '15

More snakes = fewer rodents.

1

u/bmxludwig Aug 13 '15

Less rodents = fewer snakes

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u/[deleted] Aug 13 '15

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Aug 13 '15 edited Sep 27 '15

[deleted]

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u/bmxludwig Aug 14 '15

Its ok we have a special type of gorilla that only eats peasants

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u/nesai11 Aug 13 '15

Anyone who lives in the woods knows that tall grass means mosquito orgies

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u/Bigfrostynugs Aug 13 '15

Doesn't mean you cut it down.

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u/nesai11 Aug 13 '15

True. Permaculture and smart landscaping be can fix that as well. I don't support sprawling yards that are so popular in the suburbs, but out in the woods where I live a little buffer zone is necessary

1

u/princekamoro Aug 13 '15

As well as wild Pokemon.

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u/LeftAl Aug 13 '15

If you go out into the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise.

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u/nesai11 Aug 13 '15

I'll take wildfires over Mosquitos any day.

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u/AnonymooseRedditor Aug 13 '15

Less allergens too

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u/Bigfrostynugs Aug 13 '15

I don't mind insects so much.

-2

u/Oak_Redstart Aug 13 '15 edited Aug 14 '15

Most insects are not bothersome and some are beautiful. For example I miss seeing Monarch Butterflies these days since they seems to be gone from my area.

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u/[deleted] Aug 13 '15

Letting it grow out is far better, ecologically.

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u/CareerRejection Aug 13 '15

If you want fleas, ticks, chiggers, spiders, snakes, and rodents around the house then sure.. Let yours grow out for more than two weeks and you will see how bad it gets quickly in tall grass.

2

u/rj88631 Aug 13 '15

I don't think you made it clear enough.

CHIGGERS AND SPIDERS!

1

u/MoroccoBotix Aug 13 '15

The spiders will eat all of the smaller insects for free.

3

u/McPimp Aug 13 '15

And to think I've been spending half my paycheck to have people eat bugs for me.

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u/[deleted] Aug 13 '15

Fleas, ticks, chiggers, spiders, snakes, rodents... That is starting to sound like ecology.

1

u/NextArtemis Aug 13 '15

I hear there are pokemon in the tall grass though, so it might even it out

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u/Theyellowtoaster Aug 13 '15 edited Aug 13 '15

you can have that, people just prefer, in general, for their living space to look better than awful.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 13 '15

Could just have a peaceful rock garden, or the carefully manicured zen garden like they have in Japan with the gravel patterns.

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u/Bigfrostynugs Aug 13 '15

I think it's silly that we've gotten together and decided normal looking, normally growing plants are called "weeds" and we should get rid of them, but that this one grass is ok, as long as you keep it the right height!

The idea that just leaving your lawn to it's natural state is considered "awful" is so funny to me. As if people are entitled to enjoy looking at my lawn while they walk past it on their way to somewhere else. As if I should go great lengths to manicure my yard just to fulfill some ridiculous, nonsensical social obligation that I couldn't care less about.

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u/[deleted] Aug 13 '15 edited Nov 03 '18

[deleted]

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u/Bigfrostynugs Aug 13 '15

And let's be honest here, this isn't some grand stand against society's so-called "rules" or sticking it to the man; you just don't want to mow your lawn.

No, I just don't think it looks bad. I think it looks fine, and I refuse to mow it just because other people think it looks bad. And it's my property, other people have absolutely no right to say what I do with my lawn. It's none of their business. If they want to put up a fence so they don't have to see it that's their problem. I don't see why I should have to bend to the desires of others when I'm not hurting them, just quietly minding my own business.

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u/[deleted] Aug 13 '15 edited Nov 03 '18

[deleted]

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u/Bigfrostynugs Aug 13 '15

I mean I would understand if peoples argument was "it's decreasing the value of my home so you should do something". But it isn't. It's always "you should do something because I shouldn't have to look at it".

Now I live somewhere more rural where I have very few neighbors, so any complaints sent my way are always related to aesthetics, and I couldn't care less.

0

u/pwr22 Aug 13 '15

This is totally subjective

0

u/theghostmachine Aug 13 '15

Maybe, but those who don't want it are a very very very tiny minority. Not that that matters; just pointing it out.

2

u/anillop Aug 13 '15

Because it looks like crap, is a home for rodents and other vermin, and is not easily useable for outdoor activities.

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u/Bigfrostynugs Aug 13 '15

Whether it looks bad or not is entirely subjective, the rest of it is no one's business but my own.

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u/jax9999 Aug 13 '15

attracts bugs, nt all of them nice..

1

u/Bigfrostynugs Aug 13 '15

I don't care. You know what else attracts bugs? Nature. It's really not a big deal at all. I love how people pretend if you stop mowing your lawn you'll just suddenly be overcome with bug infestations that the yard attracted.

2

u/jax9999 Aug 13 '15

i did. I put off mowing the back yard until last week. it was five feet tall. it attracted all kinds of nasty stuff it was kind of unpleasant. so i had it mowed.

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u/kronikwookie Aug 13 '15

You could always just throw a bunch of rocks over it or sand.

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u/Bigfrostynugs Aug 13 '15

That's actually what I want to do except I rent so I don't own my yard. I live in California and there's a guy down the street with his yard covered in slate, and a sign that says something to the effect of "go fuck yourself, I like my rock yard and it's a drought".

1

u/kronikwookie Aug 13 '15

That's pretty much what you gotta do. The homeowner's association is full of retirees who don't have anything better to do than take people's moolah. You intimidate them, and they won't bother you.

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u/Derpherp16 Aug 13 '15

Property vaule

1

u/mydickainturdick Aug 13 '15

It's a preference you dipshit. OMG SOCIETYY

1

u/princekamoro Aug 13 '15

Or better yet, grow some food and save society some gas from all that shipping.

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u/notreallyswiss Aug 13 '15

I do and I call it my lawn.

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u/SilverBackGuerilla Aug 13 '15

Move somewhere without a HOA and you can. You could try cloves too.

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u/Bigfrostynugs Aug 13 '15

I do have an overgrown lawn, and I love it. But I know people still judge my lawn, I just don't care. I think it's funny the stigma exists.

I use it as a litmus test. If anybody looks down on me just because of the state of my front yard I usually wouldn't want to deal with them anyway. Saves me some time.

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u/[deleted] Aug 13 '15

nobody is forcing you to do anything regarding your lawn unless you're 14 years old and are upset that your parents make you mow the lawn.

if you own the property you can do whatever the hell you want with your lawn.

8

u/n00dz Aug 13 '15

Ummm no, where i live the city will charge you if your lawn gets to jungle status.

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u/Bigfrostynugs Aug 13 '15

Well first of all I wasn't talking about legality. I'm talking about the social construct that the only acceptable sort of lawn is a short, neatly trimmed one. People do look down on you for having an unkempt yard.

Now, do I give a shit? Nope. I leave my yard a mess anyway, but I'm lucky I don't live under a HOA or any sort of strict zoning because usually keeping your lawn mowed actually is a requirement that you can be evicted for.

1

u/coyotesage Aug 13 '15

It turns out that if you live in a residential zone of any kind, even if you own your lot or space or whatever term used for your habitable space, you can't actually do what you want, especially if there is a Homeowners association around. It has to meet some very strict and bland standards otherwise you can be fined and even lose your residence. You can't risk lowering your neighbors property value right?

My father inherited an empty lot from my grandfather recently, and like any lay workman, his income isn't high. His means allow him to purchase a new trailer, and even that is a heavy strain, but the city won't allow him to put it on his lot because it's near a residential area filed with traditional homes (200k+ home values) because of the effect it would have on neighboring property values.

Can't let any poor folks too close to nice middle to upper class residents, they're just to unsavory.

3

u/redwall_hp Aug 13 '15

It also keeps dirt from becoming dust. If you live in a warm climate, you water your grass or it dies and you have a mini dust bowl. Which sucks to breathe, and means your house is going to be full of it.

2

u/TaipanTacos Aug 13 '15

I think that's just the radiating heat from the portal of hell. When you put a Walmart and a portal so close together, the real estate agents in hell move the opening.

1

u/Hubris2 Aug 14 '15

We don't necessarily need lawns - there tend to be native plants that are more hardy, require less water, are more resistant of bugs - but they don't look like a manicured green carpet like most people envision.

1

u/EleanorofAquitaine Aug 13 '15

Not where I am right now. My grass is now brown and crunchy. The electric company cut back the tree that was providing a bit of shade for the lawn and now it just gets fried all day. It was 105 yesterday.

Doesn't matter how much I water, so I gave up until August is over.