The best pictures you've seen.

[rossmum]

space owns

[Heathen]

thats why we went, we and space have so much in common.

We are beautiful, and we own.

[Siliconmaster]

[quick return to past conversation]

I contacted Microsoft about finding a larger version of that epic forerunner concept painting, as follows:

Subject : Copyright restrictions on concept art

CONTACT INFORMATION
First Name: Noah Bronstein

PRODUCT
Not Applicable

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
Message: Hello,

Myself and a large number of interested internet-goers are interested in obtaining a wallpaper-sized version of a beautiful Ensemble Studios concept art, located for reference here:

http://www.dylancolestudio.com/sketc...oConcept3.html

We have contacted the artist, but he says he is not allowed to release a higher-resolution version unless given permission by Ensemble Studios, which owns the rights. However, Ensemble was disbanded last year, meaning Microsoft would theoretically hold the general rights. Is it possible for us to request such a public release through this channel? If not, where might we try next?

Much thanks,
Noah Bronstein (as well as assorted others)

Today they responded with this useless mess:

Hello Noah,

Thank you for contacting Microsoft Customer Service.

Guidelines for the use of copyrighted Microsoft content are available at the following Web site: http://www.microsoft.com/about/legal/permissions/default.mspx

If you need information about using content in a Microsoft product (for example an article from Microsoft Encarta or a map from Microsoft MapPoint), please refer to the product's End User License Agreement (EULA), which describes the permissible uses of that content. To find and review the EULA for your product, visit the following Web site: http://www.microsoft.com/about/legal/useterms/

Noah, please understand that we cannot provide additional guidance on the legal use of content beyond the guidelines set forth on our Web site and in the product EULA, nor can we grant additional rights for use of content. If you require assistance interpreting your legal rights under those guidelines or the Microsoft EULA, obtain advice from your own attorney.

I hope the above information is helpful.

Thank you,

Tenil
Microsoft Customer Service Representative

Basically they told me that don't even want to think about it. Fine.

Back to epic pictures.

[cheezdue]

^
Booo.

Space is such an epic place.

[Con]

e: surprising how much shit there is on the exterior of the iss

[Bodzilla]

this is Space thread nao~

[sdavis117]

[Rob Oplawar]

I've always found the Buran to be a great metaphor for Russia at the time it was constructed.

The scale, the effort,

The brilliance, the perfectionism,

The ultimate, inevitable failure.


It saddens me a little.

e: holy shit that image is bigger than I though, *shotted*.

[itszutak]

Last picture made me sigh.

What's the story behind that?

[Siliconmaster]

Apparently the Buran was a semi-successful Soviet shuttle project which never went anywhere after the space program was scrapped in '93. The Buran was stored in a hanger until 2002, when the hanger collapsed, resulting in the destruction of the shuttle.