Sorry, that wasn't meant to read as sarcastic or critical, I actually think Mochi is really neat. I love Scala, basically because it adds pattern matching to Java, and am really happy to see Python get a similar treatment.
Would you rather edit a messy dataset in pandas or in Excel? What about automatically generating reports? Going to give managers your ipython printout?
I feel like Wired goes back and forth a lot - some of their articles (on a number of topics, not just computer-related) are pleasingly technical and I've really enjoyed them, and some feel really watered down. Probably, it depends on the individual writer.
As a Scala enthusiast, it's neat to see one of my pet languages get press, but...a "software engineering technology called Scala"? Did you mean "programming language"?
In low orbit, sure, but if you're coming from outside the SOI, you can burn retrograde at periapsis just enough to be captured, then make a very inexpensive inclination change at apoapsis (my usual procedure for deploying a kethane scanner).
Yeah, that's a good trick - I was thinking specifically of the benefits of launching into an inclined orbit vs. the incredibly painful process of gravity turn, circularize, change inclination, and circularize again...
