Google Heads to Sea, Will You?

The NYTimes Bits Blog reports:

The search and advertising company has filed for a patent
that describes a “water-based data center.” The idea is that Google
would create mobile data center platforms out at sea by stacking
containers filled with servers, storage systems and networking gear on
barges or other platforms.

This would let Google push computing centers closer to people in
some regions where it’s not feasible, cost-effective or as efficient to
build a data center on land. In short, Google brings the data closer to
you, and then the data arrives at a quicker clip.

Perhaps even more intriguing to some, Google has theorized about
powering these ocean data centers with energy gained just from water
splashing against the side of the barges.

Hmmm, do I spy the work of Patri Friedman, libertarian, Googler and seasteading proponent?  Perhaps the seasteaders are ensuring that they have good internet access.  As you may recall, Paypal entrepreneur Peter Theil is backing the seasteaders so there is more than one Silicon Valley entrepreneur with an eye on the sea.

By the way, the First Annual Seasteading Conference will be held in Burlingame, CA on October 10.  The conference is sure to be interesting but shouldn’t it have been held here?