[ableChair]

As for energy and power, I hope my physics degree meant something. Yes, I certainly do know the difference. It's you that seems to be confused. You seem to think you can get something for nothing, that lasers are 100% efficient and that they never lose energy. That's nonsense. In fact, it's precisely the difference in energy and power that makes my point. No 'hobbyist' is ever going to be able to easily generate the TOTAL amount of energy needed to penetrate miles of atmosphere. The Joules needed would be enormous.

I've worked on anti-missle laser systems just like hundreds of other laser jocks.

Well, then why was SDI so difficult? According to your arguments it should have been a walk in the park. How much energy would it take to burn metal? Surely we've got lasers that can do that, don't we? The problem is atmospheric and diffraction inefficiency. If you're such a genius how is it that you don't know about those things?

[FairOpinion]

Do you know about ABL?

[DC Bound]

The problem is atmospheric and diffraction inefficiency.

If you have time during your current discussion for a question from a technodolt, has the diffraction problem been solved? Seems like you'd have to defeat chaos to beat it.

[DB]

"No 'hobbyist' is ever going to be able to easily generate the TOTAL amount of energy needed to penetrate miles of atmosphere. The Joules needed would be enormous."

I'm sorry but that is just plain wrong.

Low power laser communications systems easily extend miles over line of sight. Obviously atmospheric conditions are highly variable and effect the reliability of such systems but they are used nontheless.

Hobbyist have successfully bounced laser light off the moon and back to earth. They did it some time ago.