# Key Points from ##hplusroadmap IRC Discussion (Dec 7, 2015)

• Bryan Bishop made extensive updates to the DIY H+ Wiki, particularly adding resources related to the Hong Kong Scaling Bitcoin conference, covering technical topics like segregated witness, zero-knowledge proofs, and validation cost metrics.

• Participants debated the Fermi paradox and Dyson spheres, with some arguing that advanced civilizations might become preoccupied with virtual reality rather than physical expansion, while others contended this couldn't explain the absence of all potential civilizations.

• A technical comparison of CAD software revealed that while OpenCascade suffers from stability issues, BRL-CAD was preferred for MEMS work due to its mathematical precision and extensive production use history.

• The nanoengineer software (https://github.com/kanzure/nanoengineer) was discussed as needing significant cleanup and refactoring, with suggestions to replace its chroot setup with Docker containers for improved development.

• Mechanosynthesis research was examined, with references to Oyabu et al.'s AFM work on silicon surfaces and Zyvex's patterned atomic layer epitaxy as potential pathways toward atomically precise manufacturing.

• A new method for 3D-printing fiberoptic preforms was mentioned, though it still requires traditional drawing processes rather than enabling direct printing of complete fiber optics.