On 4 Sep, 18:25, Martin <m...@address.invalid> wrote:
> On Thu, 4 Sep 2008 03:19:04 -0700 (PDT), "Paul {Hamilton Rooney}"
>
>
>
>
>
>  wrote:
> >On Sep 4, 5:55 pm, Martin <m...@address.invalid> wrote:
> >> On Thu, 4 Sep 2008 02:35:49 -0700 (PDT), "Paul {Hamilton Rooney}"
>
> >>  wrote:
> >> >On Sep 4, 2:48 pm, Ignatios Souvatzis  >> >wrote:
> >> >> Martin wrote:
> >> >> > On Wed, 3 Sep 2008 13:33:43 퍭, Ignatios Souvatzis
> >> >> > wrote:
> >> >> >>(...) We must get an old-fashioned globe, then.
>
> >> >> > or a boat?
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> >> >> Alas, my boat isn't suitable for ocean trips.
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> >> >Alas, even if it were, it wouldn't help to answer the question. It
> >> >requires a globe, not a boat!
>
> >> Not having an accurate globe didn't stop Magellan :o)
> >> --
>
> >> Martin
>
> >But he didn't know where he was going, and when he got there he didn't
> >know where he was, and when he returned he didn't know where he'd
> >been!
>
> but he had got himself "an old-fashioned globe" :o)
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>
>
> >But more seriously - he couldn't know whether he was sailing in a
> >straight line unless it was N-S or along the equator.
> >Now we have it cracked - computers and GPS.
>
> --
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> Martin- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Yes, but he still couldn't do the straight line thing! AFAIK it's not
possible by traditional navigation methods - except in the special
circumstances already mentioned. I am willing to be corrected, of
course.